UNC Charlotte shooting: 2 dead, 4 injured as gunman opens fire on campus

A lone gunman shot dead two people and wounded four others on at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Tuesday afternoon. It's not clear if the victims were students.

The gunman was taken into custody after opening fire at about 6:00 p.m. on campus grounds. Three of the four wounded are in serious condition, said UNC Charlotte Police Chief Jeff Baker. The Mecklenburg Emergency Medical Services Agency tweeted that two people were found dead at the scene.

Police said the gunman used an automatic pistol in the shooting.

Video taken by an NBC affiliate shows the suspect being led from a police car into a police station after the shooting. The suspect leaned back and smiled at cameras as he was being taken to the station.

North Carolina media outlets said the gunman was a former student at UNC who dropped out this year before completing his degree in history.

"Shots reported near kennedy. Run, Hide, Fight. Secure yourself immediately," tweeted the university in an emergency tweet after the shooting. The Kennedy Building is an administrative building in the middle of the campus.

The campus was locked down after the shooting. Dozens of emergency vehicles and police cars immediately responded to the building. April 30 was the last day of classes for the school year.

Some students were getting ready for summer break, while others were planning to attend an on-campus concert featuring rapper Waka Flocka Flame. The concert was canceled after the shooting.

Just before 6:00 p.m., the university's office of emergency management reported shots were fired near Kennedy. Videos posted on Twitter showed police officers rushing forward while students ran in the opposite direction.

"We are in shock to learn of an active shooter situation on the campus of UNC Charlotte," tweeted Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles. "My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community and the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others."

This latest school shooting in the United States occurred only three days after a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in Poway, California killing one person and wounding three others. The gunman in this shooting surrendered to police.

It also came 14 months after the horrific shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where a lone killer shot dead 17 students and staff members and wounded 17 others. It is the deadliest school shooting in the U.S.

This article originally appeared on IBTimes US.