Students at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, were evacuated on Thursday after reports of a possible shooting on campus.
The police and school administrators were immediately alerted to the potential threat and responded promptly.
The Winston-Salem Police Department received a report of a shooting at Forsyth Tech around 10:10 a.m.
On Twitter, the campus immediately spread the word that they were experiencing an active shooter situation and added that law enforcement officers were on site.
They also tweeted that the campus has been placed under lockdown and that there are shelters available for all of the faculty, staff, and students.
TechAlert: We are experiencing an active shooter situation. Law enforcement is on site. The campus is on lockdown with shelter in place for all students, faculty and staff.
— Forsyth Tech (@ForsythTechCC) March 30, 2023
North Carolina's community college students are safe
According to Fox, officers were dispatched to the main campus and quickly implemented a lockdown.
The campus was on lockdown for several hours, causing anxiety and fear among students, faculty, and visitors.
However, after a thorough investigation, law enforcement confirmed that there was no active shooter on campus.
The school later announced that the campus was closed and all classes were canceled for the remainder of the week at all locations.
The school also released students, faculty, and visitors after hours of lockdown. Forsyth Tech spokesman Devin Purgason reported that there were reports of two suspects.
The police officers did not immediately release any information about the possible suspects.
Meanwhile, students from at least two nearby school districts were on the community college campus for a trip.
The districts confirmed that all those students were safe and accounted for in their respective statements.
The police made a statement to reassure the public that no other schools in the area were under threat and the campus was safe after the evacuation, with no reports of any injuries.
However, upon investigation, the Winston-Salem Police Department later discovered that the incident was not an active shooting but that an 18-year-old student from Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy had shot himself on the second floor of the Strickland Building's restroom on campus.
According to WSOC, police found the student, identified as Shannon Howard James Pitts, with a gunshot wound, and he was immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention.
Thankfully, Pitts' injuries are not life-threatening.
The police and school officials are still investigating the incident to determine the reason behind the shooting scare and ensure the safety of the campus and its community.
Recent incidents of school shootings and gunfire scare
The reports of gunfire on the North Carolina campus came just days after a former student shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Tennessee, killing three children and three adults.
According to CNN, this incident is the latest in a series of mass shootings that have occurred in schools across the country, causing growing concern about bloodshed in schools.
While the incident at Forsyth Technical Community College did not result in any casualties, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat of gun violence in schools across the United States.
The prompt response of law enforcement and school officials helped ensure the safety of students, faculty, and visitors at the campus.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the authorities are working to determine the cause of the shooting scare.
North Carolina and Forsyth Technical Community College will undoubtedly continue to take steps to ensure the safety of their students and staff in the wake of this incident.
