On Jan. 26 at 11:38 a.m. UNCW students received an email reporting shots had been fired near the 400 block of S. College Road, which is adjacent to the main campus. This incident is just a week after receiving another email about suspected bomb threats that were later discovered to be a hoax by a current UNCW student.
The Wilmington Police Department responded to reports that a man, later identified as Edwin Leroy Vaughan, age 67, was standing on the median where S. College Road and Randall Drive intersect. When police approached Vaughan, they stated they noticed Vaughan’s hands remaining concealed in his pockets. When Vaughan was asked by the police to remove his hands, he refused. After fleeing from police, Vaughan stopped at the BP gas station where he exposed a firearm and began shooting at police.
Wilmington police detained Vaughan after a shoot-out between him and officers. Once in custody, Vaughan was charged with two counts of assault on law enforcement with a firearm. More charges will be dispensed at a later date. The assistant manager of the Halloween More 360 confirmed that one bullet hit the window, causing property damage. The window was patched, preventing any further damage. A mannequin was also hit, causing damage to the costume on display, a fragment of the bullet has been found by police.
Vaughan has a previous criminal history. In 2021, Vaughan was arrested for pointing a gun (without firing) at Wilmington Law enforcement on Randall Parkway next to the UNCW campus. The case was dismissed on Feb. 17, 2023, after the accused had already served a year and a half in custody for the incident.
A UNCW freshman student and her mother, who wish to remain anonymous for privacy protection, were close by when the shooting began.
“Even though bad things happen to innocent people every day, it’s good to know that there are people who are willing to fight back,” said the onlookers in a joint statement. “Watching the police handle the situation and my daughter quickly getting notifications from the university about the shooting, I can feel a little comfort knowing that she is protected.”
