Death of UNC professor sparks safety concerns in Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- Safety is on the minds of people living in Chapel Hill following the deadly assault on a UNC research professor last week.
Feng Liu, 59, was robbed and beaten to death in the middle of the afternoon on University Drive in a neighborhood across the street from UNC's campus.
Chapel Hill Police later arrested and charged Derick Davis, 23, and Troy Arrington Jr., 27, with Liu's murder.
Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and UNC Chanellor Carol Folt addressed safety concerns in a joint statement Thursday morning.
Kleinschmidt and Folt said, "We know that many of you have safety concerns. Although Chapel Hill remains a safe community, random acts of violence may make us feel vulnerable. As always, we recommend our residents, including students, take normal personal safety precautions."
Kleinschmidt went on to tell ABC11 that because this was such a senseless and unpredictable crime, there wasn't much the town could do in response. He again encouraged residents and students to be vigilant and take part in Neighborhood Watch programs.
People living in the Westwood neighborhood say they met with Chapel Hill Police Sunday. That's where they say they were encouraged to go about living their lives without fear. From there, the neighborhood organized and tied blue ribbons around poles and trees lining the streets in their community, all in a symbol of solidarity with Feng Liu's family.
One neighbor, Maria Saunders, said she and others are saddened by Liu's death, but they're also taking this time to figure out how they can go about feeling safe in their daily lives.
"I think everyone is determined to keep their normal routine up and not to be scared away from doing what they normally do," she said.
