Shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday, March 23rd, UNC 9-1-1 dispatchers were notified of a single male suspect brandishing a knife in the Student Union and Pit areas of campus and acting in a threatening manner. In accordance with Alert Carolina protocols, UNC sounded its sirens at roughly 4:25 p.m., which was as soon as the threat was verified by police who had arrived at the scene. This siren indicated that the campus community was being asked to remain in place until the threat had been mitigated and monitor Alert Carolina for updates. No one was injured in Sunday’s incidents involving the suspect.
Working in collaboration with UNC Police, Town of Chapel Hill Police identified and brought into custody the suspect at a location just north of campus, at which time he was found to be in possession of four knives. The suspect, Jesse Alan Kister, 31, was involuntarily committed for evaluation at UNC Hospitals. Criminal charges are pending but have not been filed as yet. When the suspect is released from observation to UNC Police Officers, he will be formally charged.
Kister is currently neither a student nor employee of the University.