Shooting at HBCU as lawmakers consider ending concealed carry permits
By Tevin Stinson
The Chronicle
A shooting on the campus of Elizabeth City State University left one person dead and others wounded.
The shooting occurred early Sunday near the center of campus following Yard Fest, the final event of Viking Fest. The week-long celebration encompasses an array of school-spirited festivities and community engagement.
Six individuals were injured during the incident. Four sustained gunshot wounds, including three ECSU students. Additionally, two other ECSU students were injured during the subsequent commotion. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening, and all the injured were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Isaiah Caldwell, a 24-year-old man who was not an ECSU student, was pronounced deceased.
According to a press release from ECSU in response to the incident, the university implemented a campus lockdown and issued a shelter-in-place order for all students. The lockdown was lifted later Sunday after law enforcement officials determined that the campus was safe.
The ECSU Police, along with the Elizabeth City Police Department, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, responded swiftly and are actively investigating the situation.
As a precaution, ECSU increased patrols across campus, and access to the center of campus remained restricted throughout the day on Sunday.
Support services for students, faculty and staff were made available, and on Monday a memorial was created on campus.
The investigation is ongoing, and no information has been released about the suspect. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact ECSU Police at 252-335-3266.
Gun Violence Spreads on College Campuses
This shooting comes just a few weeks after the mass shooting at Florida State University, and the shooting here locally on the campus of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).
At WSSU, one person was shot in a residential hall where law enforcement seized nine pounds of marijuana, a gun, THC edibles, cash, and drug paraphernalia. Following the investigation, a warrant was issued for 19-year-old Ja’lon Stallings, who is a student at WSSU. Stallings and 20-year-old Joyous Gardner, who is also a student at WSSU, turned themselves in.
In February there was another incident at WSSU where a student was accidentally shot. That investigation led to the arrest of Damarion Hall after officers discovered a weapon inside a vehicle.
NC Lawmakers Push Gun Law Changes to Ease Access to Firearms
It also comes as lawmakers in North Carolina are attempting to pass bills that would essentially dismantle the State’s concealed carry system, House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50.
Concealed handgun permits are issued by the sheriff’s office and are required to carry a concealed handgun. To obtain a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina, you must complete an application, pay a fee, provide fingerprints, pass a background check, and provide a certificate of completion from an approved firearm training facility.
If signed into law, House Bill 5, which is known as the “NC Constitutional Carry Act,” and Senate Bill 50, (Freedom to Carry NC), will eliminate all safeguards currently in place, including background checks and safety training. These bills will also lower the age to conceal carry from 21 to 18.
Both bills are sponsored by Republicans from rural counties. Primary sponsors for House Bill 5 are Brian Echevarria (Cabarrus), Keith Kidwell (Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico), Jay Adams (Catawba), and Ben T. Moss Jr. (Moore, Richmond), Senate Bill 50 is sponsored by Republicans Danny Britt (Hoke, Robeson, Scotland), Warren Daniel (Buncombe, Burke, McDowell), Eddie Settle (Alexander, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin).
The N.C. Constitutional Carry Act and Free to Carry NC aren’t the only gun-related bills being considered by lawmakers. Here’s some other gun-related bills that could be made into law.
