CNU Police received reports of gunshots near the David Student Union at 3:17 a.m. on Nov. 28, according to a campus-wide email sent out that same morning. They detained an individual, not affiliated with the university, in possession of a firearm at approximately 3:20 a.m. The individual sustained non-life threatening injuries prior to being apprehended. Further investigation revealed a broken window on the front of the DSU, resulting in the closure of Regattas Dining Hall for lunch.

Shortly before the gunfire, a disturbance by “a person who had accompanied a visitor and was signed in as a guest of a resident” set off the fire alarms in James River Residence Hall around 3 a.m, according to an email released by President Bill Kelly. Residents evacuated the building and were standing outside when they heard the gunfire.

“I’ve never heard a gunshot before until that point. And so I didn’t know that that’s what it was,” said CNU senior Sophie Shear, who originally thought the sounds were of fireworks. “Everyone started instantly running back into the building.”

Students waited in the lobby before being instructed by their RAs to go back to their dorm rooms.

Emails and texts from the university’s CNUAlert system were sent out to the campus community at roughly 4 a.m., stating that there was “No known threat to the community at this time. Gun and individual are in custody.” Two other alerts sent within the hour warned students to avoid the area. At 5:36 a.m. students were given the “all clear” and notified that “campus will operate under normal conditions.”

“It is not business as usual. Many of you were frightened and had to experience a sleepless night of worry,” wrote Kelly, who directed students to CNU’s support services. 

“… [W]e are protected by our Police and comforted by the countless ways we demonstrate through word and action how much we mean to each other,” he wrote.