CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — A suspect was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a report of an armed person on campus sent UNC-Chapel Hill into its second lockdown in three weeks.
Mickel Deonte Harris, 27, of Durham, was arrested in connection with the incident at UNC, Chapel Hill police said in a news release.
The university issued an alert about 12:55 p.m. after a report of a person "brandishing a weapon" in the Student Union, according to a statement from Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz.
No shots were fired, he said.
"The situation was related to a personnel matter for one of our auxiliary units," Guskiewicz said.
The suspect brandished a firearm at an employee of Alpine Bagel Cafe at the Student Union and then fled, UNC Police Chief Brian James said at a news conference. James said the suspect was not a student.
University officials activated sirens on campus shortly before 1 p.m., and police said everyone on campus should immediately go inside and wait for further instructions from university officials or emergency responders.
"Remain inside your classroom or a safe place in your building unless police or University personnel instruct you to take a specific action, such as to evacuate a building, stay out of a certain part of campus, or go to your residence hall and stay there," the school said.
The university gave the all-clear at about 2:15 p.m. and said people on campus could resume normal activities.
It was the second time the campus has been on lockdown in less than three weeks. On Aug. 28, associate professor Zijie Yan was fatally shot inside a lab building on campus.
That shooting sparked a manhunt for Tailei Qi, 34. Students, faculty and staff were on lockdown for hours after the shooting.
Classes on Wednesday were canceled for the rest of the day after the lockdown was lifted, according to the school alert system.
UNC officials said the campus would operate under a condition 3 emergency status until 5 p.m. and at a condition 2 status through 11 p.m. Wednesday. Counseling was available for students until 6 p.m. in the Campus Health building.
After UNC issued its alert, Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools went into "safe mode," meaning doors were to be locked and no one allowed in or out. The school district lifted restrictions after UNC's all-clear and said schools would dismiss students at the usual times, with delays possible. After-school activities and care would take place normally Wednesday, the district said.
Harris was sought on warrants related to an assault on Sept. 5, Chapel Hill police said.