NCCU assistant professor charged following investigation into homecoming weekend shootings

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Monday, October 28, 2024
Assistant professor charged in NCCU shooting case
Assistant professor charged in NCCU shooting caseNorth Carolina Central University students are back in class Monday after two unrelated shootings over homecoming weekend.

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina Central University students are back in class Monday after two unrelated shootings over homecoming weekend.

Danye Negash Medhin, who was an assistant professor at NCCU, faced a judge Monday morning since his arrest in connection to one of the shootings. He was charged with discharging a firearm on educational property and felony riot. His employment with the university was discontinued Saturday.

Investigators said Medhin fired three shots into the air at around 7:45 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot behind the Debra Saunders-White Residence Hall. Nobody was injured.

Approximately 90 minutes after that another shooting happened, but this second one resulted in four people being injured, including one student. The person responsible for this shooting has not been captured or even identified.

Durham native and Hillside High School graduate Jamya lived through the second shooting.

"I got on the ground...like three dudes over me (protecting me) and I was trying to get back up," she said. "I don't know who they were, but I appreciate y'all."

The school is holding a safe space for students to check in about what happened on Saturday.

"I would definitely say not to let this discourage you in the future. Definitely keep your head on a swivel at all times because the world's getting crazier every year, and we really don't know where we're stepping into," student Myles Payne said. "And if you need time to step away from your classes in order to mentally handle this then definitely do take your time because this is huge."

There is no current suspect information involving the second shooting.

Police did arrest Joshua Michael Virgil, 21, Saturday after finding a gun in a black Dodge Challenger. He was charged with carrying a gun on educational property, but has not been charged with anything related to the shooting at this time and has not been linked to the second shooting.

Virgil did not appear in court Monday morning.

State and local law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigations into both shootings.

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