UNC Pembroke student identified after deadly shooting near campus

Around 12:30 p.m., officers with the Pembroke Police Department responded to a fight at The Commons at Pembroke apartment complex, located at 408 W. Railroad St., just off campus.

At the scene, officers found a male 19-year-old UNC Pembroke student dead of an apparent gunshot wound. A 22-year-old man died later at UNC Southeastern Hospital.

Sophomore Cameron Taylor, 19, was identified as the student who was killed in the shooting, according to the university.

According to police, four more people – three males and a female – were also treated at a hospital following the shooting. Their names and ages were not provided.

"As soon as I hop out all you hear is bang, bang, bang, bang, boom, boom, boom, a lot of shots in a row," said student Jaylin Powell. "I just went into the house after that. I was actually going to consider stopping by and see a couple of people I knew. but as I drove by I didn't. It got kind of messy out there."

An investigation is ongoing by the Pembroke Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation.

The university's chancellor, Dr. Robin Gary Cummings, expressed his deep condolences in a statement:

"I am devastated that such violence has touched our campus community. My deepest sympathy goes out to the family of the victim and to those who were injured."

We're told there where nearly 100 people outside taking part in an end-of-semester party when the shooting started.

"That's ridiculous," said Powell when hearing about the two deaths. "I don't know how it could happen. I'm sure it could have been avoided. I hope we can get better in this area."

UNC Pembroke's chancellor released a statement Monday regarding the student who was killed in the shooting.

"Among the two individuals who sustained fatal injuries was sophomore Cameron Taylor," Dr. Cummings said. "He was majoring in nursing and a member of the Eta Upsilon chapter of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity."

He shared his condolences and encouraged students to take advantage of the university's support and mental health resources.

Chancellor Cummings said the university will be implementing more safety measures to improve campus safety.

"At this time, we are implementing further actions," he said. "I, along with key members of our university leadership, met over the weekend with representatives from the Pembroke Police Department, Pembroke Town Council, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Robeson District Attorney’s Office and Robeson County Manager’s Office, and with off-campus housing property owners and their management teams to discuss areas identified as needing immediate increases in safety and security measures and to coordinate off-campus action plans."

According to the school, the following actions are some of the new measures being implemented:

"You have my commitment that we will do everything we can to support a safe and welcoming campus environment for our students, faculty, staff and visitors," Dr. Cummings said.

Authorities are still investigating the shooting and have not released the names of those involved.

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