A newly released 911 call has shed light on the immediate response to the deadly shooting at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). The caller urgently pleaded with the operator to lock down the campus and warned that students were still walking past the building where the shooter was active. The caller identified the suspect as Tailei Qi and even directed the dispatcher to Qi's photo on UNC's website. Qi, a graduate student, was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder and carrying a gun on educational property. The victim was identified as UNC associate professor Zijie Yan, who was also Qi's faculty advisor.

The released 911 call brings into question the alert protocols and communication during the lockdown. The call suggests that there was a delay between the initial alert and the all-clear issued by campus police, which occurred over three hours after the first alert. Students have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the school's response and the safety measures in place. UNC Police Chief Brian James, however, insists that they followed all protocols. The shooting has prompted a reevaluation of safety measures on campus and renewed discussions about gun violence in America.