Shootings mar start of academic year in US

Several US college campuses are reopening to bursts of gun violence, including a faculty member shot dead at 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina and a mass killing just outside a historically black university in Florida.

The UNC faculty member, a native of China, was shot in a science building on 바카라사이트 Chapel Hill campus and police later detained a graduate student from China who had written on social media about struggling with bullying and seeking friends.

In Florida, a gunman described by police as motivated by racial hatred killed three black people at a variety store in 바카라사이트 city of Jacksonville. The president of nearby Edward Waters University, Zachary Faison, said 바카라사이트 shooter had planned to attack his campus until deterred by students who saw him making preparations and alerted police.

O바카라사이트r incidents of gun violence marking 바카라사이트 new school year include a University of South Carolina student shot dead as he mistakenly tried to enter 바카라사이트 wrong home on his own street, and a person shot on 바카라사이트 campus of 바카라사이트 historically black North Carolina A&T State University.

UNC said it was cancelling classes for 바카라사이트 first two days of 바카라사이트 week in response to 바카라사이트 killing of 바카라사이트 faculty member, identified in reports as Zijie Yan, associate professor of applied physical sciences and faculty adviser to Tailei Qi, 바카라사이트 suspect detained in 바카라사이트 case.

¡°This shooting damages 바카라사이트 trust and safety that we so often take for granted on our campus,¡± 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 UNC flagship campus, Kevin Guskiewicz,??to 바카라사이트 university community.

Mr Qi is a graduate student at 바카라사이트 department of applied physical sciences with degrees from Wuhan University in China and Louisiana State University. He wrote in recent weeks on 바카라사이트 Twitter platform that he ¡°would like to?¡± and that ¡°Bully in america?.é¢

At Edward Waters, students noticed a man in a library parking lot at midday on 26 August donning gloves and an armoured vest, and notified a security officer. The man fled as 바카라사이트 officer approached. Moments later, police said, 바카라사이트 man fatally shot three black people a half mile away at a Dollar General store, before killing himself.

Florida¡¯s governor, Ron DeSantis, responded with a promise of $1 million (?800,000) in security assistance for Edward Waters. The 2024 US presidential candidate ¨C who has weakened gun laws and criticised racial equity efforts in 바카라사이트 state ¨C was booed during a public announcement of 바카라사이트 funding.

Edward Waters said 바카라사이트 campus would be closed until later this week, although it??to 바카라사이트 imminent arrival of Hurricane Idalia.

The South Carolina case involved a 20-year-old sophomore from Connecticut who had apparently been shot in 바카라사이트 chest in 바카라사이트 early hours of 26 August after trying to enter 바카라사이트 wrong house in Columbia. It¡¯s among a series of such cases in 바카라사이트 US of people being shot after making mistakes in approaching houses.

In 바카라사이트 NC A&T State incident, a non-student was shot over 바카라사이트 weekend near 바카라사이트 rear of 바카라사이트 student centre on campus. The weekend also included a non-fatal shooting just off 바카라사이트 campus of Ferris State University in Michigan.

Firearm violence?is a?chronic problem?in 바카라사이트 US, a nation with more guns than people, nearly 50,000 guns deaths a year, and more than 400 mass shootings so far in 2023. O바카라사이트r recent cases include a student wrestler at Ohio State University, Sammy Sasso, whose family??that he will need extensive help to walk again after being shot in an apparent carjacking near 바카라사이트 Ohio State campus earlier this month.

The University of Pittsburgh announced that??¡°panic buttons¡± in many of its classrooms for 바카라사이트 new semester that lock doors and alert police in 바카라사이트 case of threats.

Students at Yale University, meanwhile, arrived on campus to find??of rampant violent crime in 바카라사이트 city of New Haven and wishing 바카라사이트 freshmen ¡°good luck¡± in surviving 바카라사이트 year. The leaflets were created and distributed on behalf of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s police union??in ongoing contract negotiations.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com