Former student sought in N.C. college slaying

John Bacon | USA TODAY

A manhunt continued Monday night across North Carolina for a 20-year-old former student suspected of walking into a Wayne Community College building and fatally shooting his ex-boss in a work-study program, authorities in Goldsboro, N.C., said.

Scores of police officers, tracking dogs and a helicopter were searching for Kenneth Morgan Stancil III, who had worked in the college print shop. He is being sought for the murder of his former supervisor, Ron Lane, who was killed shortly after 8 a.m. in a bathroom on the third floor of the Wayne Learning Center, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said.

Sheriff's spokesman Tom Effler described the weapon used in the shooting only as a "long gun."

"This is not a random situation," Effler said. "It is an isolated situation."

Lane worked at the school for 18 years.

A woman identifying herself as Stancil's mother, Debbie Jean Edwards Stancil, told WNCN -TV that Lane had recently fired her son. She also alleged that Lane had "made inappropriate sexual advances toward him."

Investigators armed with a warrant searched Stancil's home and left with several unidentified items after about two hours, TWCNewsRDU reported.

Goldsboro police went to Lane's home and brought in his roommate for questioning, according to a WNCN video.

After the shooting, the entire school was placed on lockdown. Law enforcement officers swept through every campus building in pursuit of the gunman, blasting one building with tear gas but finding no suspect inside.

Kay Albertson, the school's president, said counseling was being offered to any students who sought it.

"This is indeed a sad day for Wayne Community College and this close family and community," she said. "Our hearts are heavy at the loss of an employee, a valued employee."

"This is not a drill. The entire campus is under lockdown," said a warning plastered across the school's website most of the morning. Later, a website notice said that all classes and activities were canceled for the day.

"Information regarding classes for the remainder of the week will be announced when available," the notice said. "Students and employees have been allowed to leave campus where possible."

The learning center is a center for activities in the school, housing the library, cafeteria and other programs. April Barletter was taking a quiz in the building when she received a text alert from the school. She told WNCN-TV her teacher moved them to a corner of the classroom, turned off the lights and barricaded the door with a table until the class was given permission to exit the building.

"It was scary," Barletter said. "I hoped it didn't escalate into something more."

Nearby Wayne Preparatory Academy also ordered a lockdown.

Wayne Community College is a two-year school with about 4,000 students. According to its website, it offers 100 degree, diploma, certificate and continuing education programs.

Classes are scheduled to resume Tuesday.