A shooting incident at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) in North Carolina resulted in one fatality and six injuries early Sunday morning. The event took place around 12:30 a.m. on April 27, 2025, following the university’s Viking Fest celebration, specifically after a Yard Fest event.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) identified Isaiah Caldwell, a 24-year-old from Albany, New York, as the deceased. Caldwell, not an ECSU student, was visiting the campus as a member of the Groove Phi Groove social fellowship at the time of the incident.
According to a news release from the university, four individuals sustained gunshot wounds, three of whom are students at ECSU. Additionally, two other students were injured amid the ensuing commotion. None of the injuries are life-threatening, and all affected were transported to a local hospital.
Sara Hill, an ECSU volleyball team member, was one of the injured students. Hill described the frightening moments when the shooting started, noting she was in close proximity to the shooter. She was shot in the hip but realized the injury only after reaching safety. Two ECSU football players were also injured during the incident.
Mark Hurlbut, an ECSU student, recounted hearing the gunshots from his dorm room. “I heard the gunshots through my window and through the walls,” Hurlbut said. “Campus honestly didn’t send out any alerts of any kind until maybe 20-30 minutes after it happened. I didn’t think nothing of it, but then it finally clicked. This happened right outside my door.”
Another student, Zion Upchurch, expressed his emotional reaction to the incident. He had left the scene shortly before the shooting but heard the shots from his dorm. Upchurch noted his sadness over the death of a person who was not a university student.
In response to the shooting, the university implemented a campus lockdown and a shelter-in-place order for students. The lockdown was lifted later that day once law enforcement determined the campus was no longer under threat.
ECSU canceled classes through Tuesday, April 29, transitioning to remote learning for the remainder of the semester, which concluded on Friday. Interim Chancellor Catherine Edmonds conveyed sympathies to those impacted and highlighted the resilience of the ECSU community.
The university has made counseling services available to students, faculty, and staff affected by the incident. On-campus counseling began at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center, with additional support available after hours.
Security measures have been heightened across campus, with increased patrols and restricted access to the campus center.
The investigation involves multiple law enforcement agencies, including the ECSU Police, Elizabeth City Police, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Investigators have identified persons of interest, none of whom are believed to be ECSU students, but no arrests have been made as of April 29.
The SBI is reviewing social media videos from the event and has requested public assistance with any information, videos, or pictures that could aid the investigation. Some students and parents expressed frustration over the limited information released by the university and law enforcement.
This incident at ECSU occurs amid ongoing discussions about gun safety in North Carolina. Advocacy groups report an increase in mass shootings and gun deaths since the repeal of the state’s permit-to-purchase law in 2023.
Those with information about the shooting are encouraged to contact the ECSU Police at 252-335-3266. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover the circumstances of the shooting and identify those responsible.
