'It’s horrifying': UNC Chapel Hill students and faculty react to campus shooting

First-year student Cogan McMichaels spent his sixth day at UNC-Chapel Hill locked in his dorm room. For several hours on Monday afternoon, he and his roommate sat in the dark, their eyes glued on Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Snapchat feeds.

The two weren’t just hanging out or scrolling to see if their friends were off doing something fun. They were sheltering in place from an active shooter on campus, scrolling to see if any sites could provide information to what the scene looked like outside Cobb Residence Hall.

“We had the lights off, the blinds were down, the door was locked. The hall lights were off, so it was very eerie outside,” he said. “Whenever we learned something new, we just kind of bounced it back and forth and tried to confirm it or deny it or just piece a narrative together. We didn't succeed.”