RALEIGH, NC – Shaw University became an alarming scene on a fateful Tuesday as gunfire echoed across the campus. The culprit, identified as 74-year-old Kamal Rasool Abdal-Rafi, was taken into custody by authorities near the university’s International Studies Center, where the shots were fired.
Preliminary investigations highlight a heated argument between Abdal-Rafi and another individual as the boiling point leading to the violent outburst. Spotting trouble, an officer who was dispatched on an unrelated call immediately responded to the sound of gunfire. Guided by a bystander, the officer pursued and detained Abdal-Rafi until the Raleigh police took over.
Police inventory following the arrest revealed a worrying amount of readily accessible firearms on Abdal-Rafi – three were directly in his possession, and two more were found in his car. Remarkably, amidst the chaos, no injuries were reported.
Students on the ground reported lockdown procedures and a palpable atmosphere of shock. Given the situation, Shaw University canceled all classes for the rest of Tuesday. Meanwhile, authorities brought a series of felonies against Abdal-Rafi, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and multiple counts of discharging and possessing a firearm on educational property.
Interestingly, Abdal-Rafi has previously faced charges for communicating threats and carrying a concealed weapon in 2019, where he ultimately pleaded guilty to the former accusation.
Now, his bond has been set at $250,000, with a court appearance scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Moving forward, Shaw University plans to conduct classes as per usual from Wednesday.