CALLING
CALLING THE DARKEST DAY IN HISTORY. MY COANCHOR BEN THOMPSON
OUTSIDE OF UNC CHARLOTTE'S
CAMPUS.
WE KNOW THE SCHOOL IS CLOSED
TODAY AND WE LEARNED THE
SUSPECT HAS BEEN FORMALLY
CHARGED SO YOU GOT INTO CAMPUS
EARLIER THIS MORNING.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN
EXCITING TIME FOR STUDENTS.
THEY'RE APPROACHING FINALS,
APPROACHING GRADUATION BUT SUCH
A SAD DAY RIGHT THERE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, CAROLYN.
LOTS OF UPDATES FROM OVERNIGHT.
WE WANT TO LET OUR VIEWERS KNOW
IF THEY'RE JUST NOW JOINING US
AT THE 6:00 HOUR THE LOCK DOWN
HAS BEEN LIFTED HERE AT THE
SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOL CAMPUS HAS BEEN
GIVEN THE ALL CLEAR.
HOWEVER THE KENNEDY BUILDING
THE SITE OF THIS MASSACRE IS
STILL CLOSED AND WILL REMAIN
CLOSED.
AT THE SAME TIME JUST IN THE
LAST HOUR OR SO WE'RE LEARNING
A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION ABOUT
THE SUSPECT THAT'S NOW BEEN
FORMALLY BOOKED, CHARGED ALSO
GETTING A SNEAK PEEK OF HIS MUG
SHOT IN JUST A SECOND.
THIS ABOUT 70 YEAR HISTORY OF
THIS PROUD SCHOOL HERE APRIL
30, 2019 WILL PROBABLY GO DOWN
AS THE WORST.
>> THE UNIVERSITY'S DARKEST DAY
UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR EYES AS A
+@
>> THE UNIVERSITY'S DARKEST DAY UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR EYES AS A FORMER UNC CHARLOTTE HISTORY
+@
UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR EYES AS A FORMER UNC CHARLOTTE HISTORY MAJOR OPENED FIRE INSIDE A
CLASSROOM KILLING TWO PEOPLE
INJURING FOUR OTHERS.
>> EVERYONE HAD THEIR HANDS UP
AND IT WAS CRAZY LIKE SOMETHING
YOU SEE IN THE FILMS AND YOU
NEVER THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
CLOSE TO YOU.
>> THIS MORNING STILL WAITING
TO CONFIRM IF THE TWO KILLED
WERE STUDENTS.
THREE OF THE FOUR INJURED ARE
IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND WE
JUST LEARNED THAT ONE OF THOSE
SHOT IS SPORTS WRITER DREW
PESCARO.
HE'S REPORTED LAYOUT OF
SURGERY.
HE ENTERED THE CLASSROOM DIDN'T
SAY A WORD AND STARTED
SHOOTING.
RIGHT NOW POLICE ARE SEARCHING
FOR A MOTIVE.
>> WE KNOW THAT THE COMING DAYS
AND WEEKS AND MONTHS WILL BE
VERY DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES.
>> HERE'S A LOOK AT HOW ALL
THIS UNFOLDED.
THE FIRST SHOTS FIRED AROUND
5:50:00 P.M.
AT 6:47 MEDICS FIRST CONFIRMED
TWO VICTIMS DEAD AT THE SCENE.
A SHORT TIME LATER AT 7:13, NBC
CHARLOTTE SOURCES CONFIRMING
THE SUSPECT'S NAME 22-YEAR-OLD
TRYSTAN TERRELL.
MINUTES LATER CMPD TWEETED THE
SCENE IS SECURE AND ONE PERSON
IS IN CUSTODY.
>> NOW WE DO KNOW EVEN THOUGH
THE SCHOOL IS CLOSED TODAY
COUNSELORS AND SUPPORT SERVICES
WILL BE HERE AVAILABLE TO THE
25,000 STUDENTS WHO GO HERE TO
UNC CHARLOTTE.
KEEP IN MIND YESTERDAY WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAST DAY OF
CLASSES.
TOMORROW IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE
FIRST DAY OF EXAMS.
WE DO KNOW THE SCHOOL PUSHED
THE EXAMS BACK UNTIL AT LEAST
SUNDAY AT THIS POINT.
LET'S TURN IT OVER TO RACHEL
+@
SUNDAY AT THIS POINT. LET'S TURN IT OVER TO RACHEL AND I KNOW YOU'RE TRACKING
SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION AND IT
PLAYED A BIG ROLE ON HOW THIS
WHOLE THING UNFOLDED AND WE
ALSO KNOW OVERNIGHT CHARLOTTE
STRONG TRENDING AS WELL.
>> YEAH, BEN, WHEN PEOPLE WATCH
THIS UNFOLD ON T.V.
WHEN YOU GUYS AT HOME ARE
WATCHING THIS UNFOLD YOU OFTEN
TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR
INFORMATION AND THEY KNOW THAT
AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE GOT SOME SENSE OF
CLARITY AND SOME SENSE OF PEACE
THROUGH ALL OF THIS BUT THIS
INITIAL TWEET FOR STUDENTS AND
FACULTY RUN, HIDE, FIGHT SECURE
YOURSELF IMMEDIATELY.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A HARD TIME
CONNECTING TO ANOTHER TRAGIC
SITUATION THIS TWEET ITSELF
SENDS SOMETHING UP YOUR SPINE
IMAGINING THOSE STUDENTS
RECEIVING THAT NOT KNOWING
WHAT'S NEXT.
THEN CMPD ACTUALLY TWEETED OUT
TRYING TO PUT CALMNESS IN THAT
CHAOS TELLING STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES A DIRECT ADDRESS TO GO
TO BE REUNITED.
THAT WAS SOMETHING INTERESTING
AND TWEETING OUT AGAIN THAT IT
WAS SECURE.
THEY WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT
+@
WAS SECURE. THEY WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON THIS ONE OF THE
MOST IMPACTFUL A STUDENT
TWEETING OUT WHAT HER PROFESSOR
DID.
HE MADE A GOOGLE D OC INSTANTLY
DURING THAT CHAOS BECAUSE HE
WANTED HIS STUDENTS TO CHECK
IN.
HE WANTED HIS STUDENTS TO TELL
HIM THAT THEY WERE OKAY.
THIS IS SHOWING YOU THE EMOTION
AROUND THE COMMUNITY DURING ALL
OF THIS.
THEY JUST HAD TO CLICK ON THAT
LINK.
INCREDIBLE THAT WAS HAPPENING
THERE AND ALSO STUDENTS WERE
TOLD IF THEY WERE ON CAMPUS
THEY HAD TO BE PREPARED TO
IDENTIFY THEMSELF WHEN THE
SCENE WAS NOT SECURED A MUCH
DIFFERENT SCENE FROM 12 HOURS
AGO WHEN STUDENTS DIDN'T KNOW
WAS THERE JUST ONE SHOOTER AND
WAS THAT PERSON IN CUSTODY.
CONTINUING TO SEE ALERTS
THROUGHOUT THE MORNING.
EXAMS DO REMAIN CANCELED
THROUGH SUNDAY SO THE SCHOOL
PLAYING A BIG PART IN MAKING
SURE THEIR STUDENTS KNEW.
WE'RE ON TOP OF THIS AND WANT
YOU TO BE SAFE AND INFORMED AND
CMPD DOING THAT AS WELL.
THEY HAD A LOT GOING ON.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL
VIDEOS WE SAW WAS THE STUDENTS
RUNNING OUT OF CAMPUS HANDS IN
THE AIR CLEARLY TERRIFIED BUT
YOU SAW OUR FIRST RESPONDERS,
OUR LOCAL HEROS RUNNING
STRAIGHT IN.
IF YOU REALLY CLOSELY WATCH THE
VIDEO THEY ARE SO TUNNEL
VISIONED ON WHERE THEY WERE
GOING.
>> SO FOCUSED, YEAH.
RACHEL THANKS.
RIGHT NOW YOU ARE LOOKING THIS
IS THE MUG SHOT OF THE ACCUSED.
THE NEWLY RELEASED SHOT
OVERNIGHT.
THE SHOOTING SUSPECT WE KNOW
HIS NAME IS ELECTRICITIAL
TRYSTAN TERRELL.
HE IS IN POLICE CUSTODY RIGHT
NOW FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES OF
TWO COUNTS OF MURDER.
HE IS A FORMER UNC CHARLOTTE
STUDENT, A HISTORY MAJOR.
RICHARD DEVAYNE JOINING US
LIVE.
WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN,
WE TRY TO FIND ANY SORT OF
REASON WHY, WHY WOULD SOMEONE
DO SOMETHING SO TERRIBLE AND
OFTEN TIMES THAT ANSWER NEVER
COMES.
>> GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
[INAUDIBLE]
>> YOU LOOK FOR SORT OF GOOD
NEWS--THAT PERSON POLICE SAY
CAUSED ALL OF THIS--
>> THIS IS TRYSTAN TERRELL
HEADING INTO CMPD HEADQUARTERS
FOR QUESTIONING TUESDAY
EVENING.
HE TURNS HIS HEAD AND SAYS I
SHOT THEM.
THIS MORNING HE'S BEHIND BARS
INSIDE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
FACING A SLEW OF CHARGES SOME
OF WHICH INCLUDE TWO COUNTS OF
MURDER, FOUR COUNTS OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER, FOUR COUNTS
OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY
WEAPON.
TERRELL IS A 22-YEAR-OLD FORMER
UNC CHARLOTTE HISTORY MAJOR.
WE LEARNED HE AND HIS FATHER
MOVED FROM CHARLOTTE TO DALLAS
A FEW YEARS AGO AFTER THE DEATH
OF HIS MOTHER.
ACCORDING TO STUDENTS AND
POLICE HE WALKED INTO A
CLASSROOM AND JUST STARTED
SHOOTING.
CAMPUS POLICE WERE ABLE TO
CAPTURE HIM.
HE LIVES AT THE NORVILLE
APARTMENTS AND NEIGHBORS AND
STUDENTS DESCRIBE HIM AS A
LONER WHO RARELY SPOKE.
>> I'VE SEEN HIM WALKING AROUND
SEVERAL TIMES.
HE'S SUPER QUIET FROM WHAT I'VE
SEEN.
VERY INTROVERTED.
THE MOST I'VE HEARD FROM HIM IS
HELLO AND THAT WAS IT.
+@
THE MOST I'VE HEARD FROM HIM IS HELLO AND THAT WAS IT. >> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF
STUDENTS AND NEIGHBORS HAVE
SAID TO US.
WE CAN SAY HE IS BEING HELD
+@WITHOUT BOND WHICH IS A
STANDARD THING FOR A MURDER
SUSPECT.
HE WILL BE IN COURT TOMORROW.
WE'LL BE THERE AS WELL.
IN FOR MECKLENBURG COUNTY JAIL
WAKE UP CHARLOTTE RICHARD
DEVAYNE BACK TO YOU.
>> RICHARD THANKS SO MUCH.
THE UNIVERSITY GOING INTO LOCK
DOWN MOMENTS AFTER POLICE
LEARNED OF THE SHOOTING.
YOU JUST HEARD RACHEL TALK
+@
LEARNED OF THE SHOOTING. YOU JUST HEARD RACHEL TALK ABOUT HOW THEIR RESPONSE JUST
TUNNEL VISION TRYING TO GET TO
THOSE VICTIMS.
CAMPUS POLICE GIVING THE ALL
CLEAR JUST MOMENTS AGO.
THIS IS 12 HOURS NOW AFTER THAT
SHOOTING HAPPENED.
THEY WENT INTO GREAT DETAIL
ABOUT THEIR RESPONSE TIME TO
THAT SHOOTING DURING A NEWS
CONFERENCE.
WAKE UP CHARLOTTE RUBY DURHAM
JOINING US LIVE.
THAT QUICK REACTION OF POLICE
THEY TRAIN FOR THIS AND THEY'RE
SAYING THAT IS WHAT SAVED SO
MANY LIVES.
>> CAROLYN, THE UNC CHARLOTTE
POLICE CHIEF SAYS OFFICERS USE
IMMEDIATE ACTION WENT ROOM BY
ROOM WHAT EVERY BUILDING ON
CAMPUS THEN MOVED VERY QUICKLY
AFTER THE GUNMAN OPENED FIRE.
HE SAYS THE OFFICER WAS THEN
ABLE TO ENGAGE THE SUSPECT AND
TAKE HIM DOWN.
OFFICERS WERE ALSO ABLE TO
LOCATE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN SHOT
AND IDENTIFY OTHER STUDENTS WHO
WERE SHELTERING IN PLACE.
A CAMPUS WIDE ALERT WENT OUT
TELLING ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF
TO RUN, HIDE, FIGHT.
SECURE YOURSELF IMMEDIATELY.
HERE'S HOW THE CHIEF DESCRIBES
THE RESPONSE.
>> TRAINED TO GO TO THE SOUND
SO THOSE OFFICERS WERE MOVING
TOWARDS WHATEVER THEY HEARD.
I DIDN'T TALK TO THEM AND I'M
NOT SAYING THEY HEARD ANYTHING.
I'M JUST SAYING THEY'RE TRAINED
TO DO THAT AND THAT'S TRAINING
THAT WE ENGAGE IN TWICE A YEAR,
AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S IMPORTANT
TO DO.
>> OFFICERS ARE TRAINED TO
HANDLE THIS SITUATION THAT
HAPPENED ON CAMPUS YESTERDAY
BUT NO ONE EVER THOUGHT THAT
THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO USE
IT IMMEDIATELY.
CMPD WILL BE HANDLING THIS
INVESTIGATION MOVING FORWARD.
REPORTING LIVE FROM UNC
CHARLOTTE CAMPUS RUBY DURHAM
BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO.