{
  "id": "2026-11-07-winston-salem-state-university-homecoming-shootings-lockdown",
  "slug": "winston-salem-state-university-homecoming-shootings-lockdown-2026-11-07",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Winston-Salem State University",
    "shortName": "WSSU",
    "state": "NC",
    "type": "hbcu",
    "alertSystemName": "RamAlert",
    "enrollment": 5000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2026-11-07",
    "type": "shooting",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Two shootings on campus during homecoming weekend, one person killed and three wounded",
    "headlinePublic": "Two shootings on campus during homecoming weekend, one person killed and three wounded",
    "summary": "Two separate shootings on the Winston-Salem State University campus on Saturday night, November 7, 2026, at about 9:45 PM and 10:22 PM EST, killed one person and wounded three, according to [WXII](https://www.wxii12.com/article/winston-salem-state-university-shootings-live-updates/74370005). The campus was placed on lockdown, and on November 8 the university [posted a message from Chancellor Bonita J. Brown](https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2026/11/a-message-to-our-ramily-from-chancellor-bonita-j-brown.html) and [announced classes canceled for November 9](https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119557504250036710).",
    "outcome": "One person (not a WSSU student) was killed and three were wounded. Winston-Salem Police charged a 20-year-old non-student with murder in the first shooting; no arrest had been announced in the second as of the evening of November 8, 2026. The lockdown was lifted overnight; classes were canceled November 9.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 1,
      "injured": 3
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Saturday night, November 7, 2026, after the first shooting at about 9:45 PM EST (the alert's own send time was not retrieved)",
      "channel": "unknown",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article317984722.html",
      "sourceDescription": "The News & Observer report of the lockdown (the university's own lockdown message was not found)",
      "annotations": []
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "follow-up",
      "timestampApprox": "Sunday, November 8, 2026, published by about 9:23 AM EST, when @WSSURAMS posted a link to it (the page shows a date but no time)",
      "channel": "website",
      "verbatimText": "Dear Ramily,\n\nHomecoming is a time we come together to celebrate connections and shared experiences. Today, however, we find ourselves coming together under heartbreaking circumstances.\n\nOn Saturday, Nov. 7, two separate shootings occurred on our campus, resulting in the loss of one life and injuries to three others. This senseless violence has shaken our university community, and our hearts are heavy.\n\nFirst and foremost, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the individual who lost their life. Our thoughts and prayers are also with those who were injured, and we wish them a full recovery.\n\nI recognize that members of our university community may have witnessed or experienced things that no one should have to endure. I understand the fear, grief and uncertainty that many of you may be feeling. Please know you are not alone. Students can access counseling services at (336) 750-3270 or through \nTogetherall\n. In-person counseling will also be available Sunday, Nov. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in DJR100 and DJR205. \nFaculty and staff can access free, confidential support 24/7 through the ComPsych Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by calling 866-922-5712 or visiting \nguidanceresources.com\n.\n\nI want to reassure our students, parents, alumni and the entire university community that our campus is secure, with no active threat at this time, as confirmed by the Winston-Salem Police Department. Additional law enforcement personnel remain on campus as the investigations continue.\n\nWe are grateful to WSSU Police and Public Safety, the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office for their response and continued efforts to protect our campus community. We remain committed to working closely with authorities as they investigate both incidents.\n\nWe also recognize the concern and anxiety these events have created among our students, parents, families and broader community. We take our responsibility for campus safety seriously and remain committed to the well-being of everyone who is part of our university community.\n\nIn light of these tragic incidents, we have canceled today's remaining Homecoming activities, including the Fourth Quarter event and WSSU's participation in WSSU Day at Emmanuel Baptist Church. We are grateful that the church will instead lead a \nCall to Prayer\nin support of our university community.\n\nPlease continue to follow law enforcement instructions and avoid any areas that remain restricted. As a reminder, we encourage all members of the campus community to continue practicing everyday safety measures, including being aware of their surroundings, using well-lit routes, keeping residence halls secure by using your own authorized access and not allowing unauthorized individuals to enter behind you, and reporting suspicious activity or safety concerns to WSSU Police and Public Safety by calling (336) 750-2911 or through the Rave Guardian app.\n\nThroughout our history, Winston-Salem State University has faced challenges, but we have always found strength in one another. That is what it means to be part of the Ramily and to be Ram strong.\n\nAs we move forward, I ask that you continue to keep the families and all those affected in the broader Winston-Salem community in your thoughts and prayers. Let us remain united in our commitment to the university we love.\n\nSincerely,\n\nBonita J. Brown, J.D.\nChancellor\nWinston-Salem State University",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2026/11/a-message-to-our-ramily-from-chancellor-bonita-j-brown.html",
      "sourceDescription": "WSSU News & Information: A Message to Our Ramily from Chancellor Bonita J. Brown",
      "annotations": [
        "Read on 2026-11-09 from the official page HTML: the message body from \"Dear Ramily,\" through the signature block, one blank line between paragraphs. The page is a community-wide message from the chancellor and is the only place its full text was found; whether it was also emailed to students and employees was not stated.",
        "The message is the first official statement that the campus \"is secure, with no active threat\" and canceled the rest of Homecoming; it does not describe the lockdown itself."
      ],
      "characterCount": 3488
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "follow-up",
      "timestamp": "2026-11-08T09:23:35-05:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Our hearts are heavy following the tragic shootings on campus Saturday that claimed one life and injured three others.\n\nChancellor Bonita J. Brown shares a message of condolence, support and unity with our Ramily.\n\nRead her full message: https://t.co/fD4CFOQ80x https://t.co/qip9mZNBSP",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119435671106412797",
      "sourceDescription": "@WSSURAMS post",
      "annotations": [
        "Read twice on 2026-11-09 (X full-archive search, then an independent post-id lookup); the two texts matched. Post time 14:23:35 UTC converted to 9:23:35 AM EST. t.co links kept as posted."
      ],
      "characterCount": 285
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "follow-up",
      "timestamp": "2026-11-08T17:27:43-05:00",
      "channel": "twitter-x",
      "verbatimText": "Our hearts remain with all affected by Saturday's tragedy. Winston-Salem Police confirm those involved in the fatal shooting were not WSSU students. Classes canceled Mon, Nov. 9. Resume Tue at 8 a.m. Campus offices remain open Mon.\n\nWSPD Press Briefing: https://t.co/4jph7LC8Jm https://t.co/tRF6nAHPU5",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119557504250036710",
      "sourceDescription": "@WSSURAMS post",
      "annotations": [
        "Read twice on 2026-11-09 (X full-archive search, then an independent post-id lookup); the two texts matched. Post time 22:27:43 UTC converted to 5:27:43 PM EST. t.co links kept as posted.",
        "First official post to say the people in the fatal shooting were not WSSU students, and the first to give the November 9 class cancellation."
      ],
      "characterCount": 301
    }
  ],
  "context": "[WXII](https://www.wxii12.com/article/winston-salem-state-university-shootings-live-updates/74370005) reported two separate shootings on campus: one just after 9:45 PM EST on November 7, 2026 in the 600 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (a 19-year-old man killed and a 22-year-old woman wounded) and a second at 10:22 PM at Victory Circle and Cromartie Street (two people wounded). The [News & Observer](https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article317984722.html) reported police said a campus lockdown was lifted by early Sunday and the campus was safe, and [AP](https://apnews.com/article/winston-salem-state-hbcu-shooting-0302c32793ab9cb241fcb13284c98421) reported an arrest in the first shooting. The [chancellor's message](https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2026/11/a-message-to-our-ramily-from-chancellor-bonita-j-brown.html) and two [@WSSURAMS posts](https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119557504250036710) are the verbatim record. The lockdown alert itself is not documented in any public source found, so the first sequence entry is a labeled paraphrase.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Two shootings 37 minutes apart on a homecoming night led to a lockdown whose own alert text could not be recovered.",
    "The university's first recovered written statement came the next morning and the cancellation notice came the next evening."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "A Message to Our Ramily from Chancellor Bonita J. Brown (WSSU)",
      "url": "https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2026/11/a-message-to-our-ramily-from-chancellor-bonita-j-brown.html",
      "type": "official-statement",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "@WSSURAMS: chancellor message post",
      "url": "https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119435671106412797",
      "type": "official-social",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "@WSSURAMS: classes canceled Nov. 9",
      "url": "https://x.com/WSSURAMS/status/2119557504250036710",
      "type": "official-social",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Real-time updates: Winston-Salem State University shootings (WXII)",
      "url": "https://www.wxii12.com/article/winston-salem-state-university-shootings-live-updates/74370005",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "4 shot on Winston-Salem State University at homecoming (The News & Observer)",
      "url": "https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article317984722.html",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    },
    {
      "title": "Police make arrest in a deadly shooting at Winston-Salem State during homecoming weekend (AP)",
      "url": "https://apnews.com/article/winston-salem-state-hbcu-shooting-0302c32793ab9cb241fcb13284c98421",
      "type": "national-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-11-09"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "2026",
    "fresh-week",
    "shooting",
    "hbcu",
    "lockdown",
    "homecoming",
    "north-carolina",
    "unconfirmed-alert"
  ],
  "confidence": "medium",
  "dateAdded": "2026-11-09",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-11-09",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}