To our UNC Hospitals & UNC School of Medicine Teammates,
Today’s events on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus were alarming. Here’s what we know and are able to share as of now:
- The UNC-Chapel Hill campus shared information of an armed and dangerous person early Monday afternoon and locked down campus. UNC Hospitals followed with a lockdown shortly thereafter.
- We know from authorities that shots were fired in Caudill Laboratories, a campus building on South Road, and that tragically a University faculty member was killed. The suspect is now in custody.
- Right now, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are working together on this investigation.
- Tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 29, UNC Hospitals and hospital-based clinics will continue normal operations serving our community.
It will likely be several days before we have a better idea of what occurred today. However, we know the damage of enduring a traumatic event is already done.
We know your first instinct may be to reach out to each other. Please do that – but also take a moment to consider what you might need. Everyone manages trauma differently, so please look at the resources available to see what might be useful to you.
As your teams talk about what happened (or what should have happened), please share those thoughts with your manager and ask that they escalate them through your leadership or via UNC Hospitals’ Tiered Safety Huddles.
Our leadership team is already reviewing how information came in and was disseminated during this event, how we managed as an organization, and how we can get better and ensure everyone’s safety. Your insights will help inform our preparedness plans should we face a similar situation in the future.
Our hearts grieve tonight with our campus community.
Janet Hadar
President of UNC Hospitals
Dr. Matt Mauro
President of UNC Faculty Physicians