UNCC Shooting: Victims Identified; Flags At Half Staff In NC

CHARLOTTE, NC — The morning after a gunman walked into a Charlotte college classroom and fatally shot two people and wounded four others, flags across North Carolina were lowered to half staff to honor the victims as condolences poured in from around the state.

The gunman accused of opening fire on the University of North Carolina Charlotte campus was identified by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as Trystan Andrew Terrell, 22.

Terrell was tackled and taken into custody by campus police trained for an active shooter, authorities said Tuesday night. He was charged with two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, possession of a firearm on educational property and discharging a firearm on educational property, CMPD said.

Names of the victims killed in the shooting were released by UNCC Chancellor Phillip Dubois Wednesday morning: Ellis Parlier, 19, of Midland, North Carolina, and Riley Howell, 21, of Waynesville, North Carolina, WBT reported.

Three of the four injured gunshot victims were listed in critical condition Tuesday night, according to officials. Dubois identified the wounded victims as Drew Pescaro, 19, of Apex, North Carolina; Sean Dehart, 20, of Apex; Rami Alramatin, 20, of Saudi Arabia; and Emily Haupt, 23, of Charlotte.

A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at the Star Quad on the UNCC campus. Attendees are asked to wear UNCC attire.

“This is a tragic day for Charlotte and this great university,” Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday evening before flying to Charlotte. “We mourn the lives lost and we will all be here to support each other. I commend the first responders for their quick action and am grateful that the campus is now secure.”

The suspect, who was armed with a pistol, began to fire inside the campus building around 5:40 p.m., Chief Jeff Baker, head of UNCC police and public safety, said at a press conference Tuesday night.

"Run, Hide, Fight. Secure yourself immediately," the school's emergency notification service said in a tweet sent out to students.

Baker said the officers trained for the incident and one officer went to the suspect immediately to take him down.

"We responded immediately and we were able to take the suspect into custody," Baker said. "Our officers' actions definitely saved lives. There's no doubt about that."

Authorities would not confirm the shooters identity or the exact weapons used in the shooting, pending a CMPD investigation. He was not someone on the radar of campus police, Baker said.
Earlier in the evening, it was reported that the gunman is a student of the north Charlotte university.

"I can't tell you the sadness of the entire community to know a situation like this has occurred on our campus," Baker said.