CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — EDITORS NOTE: A previous version of this article stated that guns were recently banned from campus. The article has since been edited as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said open carry guns have always been banned on UNC's campus.
According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, members of a "Confederate heritage" group came onto campus with at least one handgun on March 16.
Open carry guns are banned on campus, but no arrests were made in the incident as the incident occurred on Cameron Avenue, a Town of Chapel Hill street.
UNC issued a statement to clarify why an arrest did not happen on Saturday, due to uncertainty on whether or not the open-carry ban applied to Cameron Avenue.
As the individuals were on a roadway maintained by the town, there was a question about if the university rule applied on the roadway.
The university clarified in the statement that the open carry ban does apply to Cameron Avenue.
UNC Police asked the group to leave campus, which they did, officials say.
North Carolina's open carry laws allow individuals to have guns in many public areas unless otherwise prohibited. UNC does not, and has not, allowed open carry on campus.
"The University is committed to the safety of our campus community," UNC officials said. "As it regularly does, UNC Police continues to monitor for any information indicating a threat to the campus community from any group."
UNC officials encourage anyone to contact police if they feel their safety is threatened, whether in person or online.
