Updated at 11:08 a.m. on Nov. 1 to include comments from Elon Chief of Campus Police and Safety Joe LeMire.
Matthew Dylan Earnhardt, 23, of Winston Salem, was arrested Nov. 1 and faces five misdemeanor charges — including discharging a firearm, concealing a weapon, possession of marijuana and marijuana-related items, and communicating threats.
According to a statement from Elon Campus Police Chief Joe LeMire, town of Elon police officers responded to the area around the 300 block of West Lebanon Avenue around 1 a.m. following reports of shots being fired. According to the statement by LeMire, “an individual who is not an Elon student or affiliated with the university fired shots into the air near a residence after not being allowed to enter the home where a party was being hosted.”
At 1:41 a.m. Nov. 1, an E-Alert reported that shots had been fired in the area of Elon University. A follow up was sent at 1:54 a.m. saying law enforcement had “suspects in custody” and there were no further threats to campus.
Court documents indicate that Earnhardt had made threats to an individual — identified by Elon News Network as an Elon University student — by saying, “You will be sorry” and making a hand gesture signifying a handgun.
According to the statement from LeMire, officers with the town of Elon Police Department, Gibsonville Police Department and Elon Campus Police located and stopped a vehicle believed to be involved and apprehended the person suspected of firing the shots. According to court records, officers found that Earnhardt was carrying a concealed .40 caliber Glock pistol without a permit. Additionally, he was found in possession of more than half an ounce of marijuana, along with a glass jar used for storing the substance.
Earnhardt was held on a secured bond of $5,000. He is scheduled to appear in Alamance County District Court on Jan. 8.