UNCP nursing student identified as victim in deadly apartment shooting

PEMBROKE, N.C. (WMBF) - The University of North Carolina Pembroke has released the identity of one of two people killed in a shooting at an off-campus apartment over the weekend.

Several others were injured in the shooting and the second victim was confirmed not to be a UNCP student.

The university said Cameron Taylor was the UNCP student killed in the shooting. Taylor was a nursing student and a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.

“I know many of our students likely knew him, and I want to assure you that his loss is recognized,” Robin Gary Cummings, UNCP chancellor said in a statement. “The loss of any life, especially so young and to senseless gun violence such as this is something that impacts us all.

This is the second deadly shooting near the school in less than a month.

Both students and school leaders at UNCP said it’s disheartening to hear about violence this close to campus once again. Students are hopeful this is a wake-up call.

“Not even a month of time in between, it’s ridiculous, something’s got to change,” said Jalin Powell, a UNCP student.

Powell is not alone. He’s a senior at the UNCP and said he’s sick of both seeing and hearing so much violence.

“I pulled in through the back entrance to the Commons, and it was a big party, a lot of people outside,” Powell said. “Park my car, as soon as I hop out, all I hear is, ‘Bang, Bang Bang, Boom, Boom.”

Pembroke Police Department officers said they got a call for a fight just after midnight Saturday at The Commons at Pembroke apartment complex.

That’s where officers said they found several victims. Officers said a 19-year-old died at the scene, and a 22-year-old died later at the hospital.

Police also said the shooter injured four other people.

“Honestly, I feel like the university is not taking like the stand they need to take on it because for it to be the second shooting and for like more than one person to get shot,” said a concerned UNCP student.

Cummings said he’s just as upset by the violence. Two other UNCP students were injured in the shooting.

This comes on the heels of another off-campus apartment shooting last month where a gunman killed 19-year-old Khalil Alford.

“We’ve got to be the adult in the room,” said Cummings. we’ve got to simply say, ‘We can’t afford to take any chances and not taking chances means zero, a total ban. zero tolerance for parties, zero tolerance for weapons patrolling more getting more police officers out there and making their presence known.”

While the investigation continues, students said they hope gun safety discussions will show up in the classrooms.

They also want to see the school take a more proactive stance when it comes to protecting students.

“Robeson County is very high in crime rates, like stuff like gunshots and stuff that’s so normalized,” said UNCP student Aaron Lucas. “I feel like the school should make sure that the university and the students feel it’s a safe haven. Like outside the chaos, the chaos is in Pembroke, but it shouldn’t be at UNCP.”

Pembroke police have not yet made any arrests.

Cummings said he is working alongside surrounding apartment complexes to ban parties both on and off campus as a way to prevent violence. A statement Cummings made to students said they can expect an increased police presence, UNCP police will seek to extend its jurisdiction to off-campus housing complexes and UNCP police will implement monthly meetings with city and county law enforcement.

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