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Chapel Hill W. Franklin Street Shooting: What Victims Should Know About Negligent Security in North Carolina

By Adam J. Langino, Esq.

Chapel Hill W. Franklin Street Shooting: What Victims Should Know About Negligent Security in North Carolina

On the evening of October 16, 2025, Chapel Hill Police responded to reports of gunfire near W. Franklin Street and Graham Street at 6:14 p.m. One person was transported to UNC Hospitals with non‑life‑threatening injuries. Investigators arrested a suspect shortly after the shooting. According to police, Geary Wayne Council, 74, of Chapel Hill, faces charges including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill; he is being held at the Orange County Detention Center without bond. Police said the incident appears isolated and that W. Franklin Street between N. Roberson and N. Graham was closed during the investigation and reopened later that evening. Source: Chapelboro reporting, Oct. 16, 2025.

This shooting raises hard questions — including whether the business and property owners took reasonable steps to keep patrons safe. Below, we explain how negligent security claims work in North Carolina, what duties property owners owe to guests, and the practical steps to protect your rights if you or someone you love was harmed.

About Chapel Hill & Franklin Street

Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street is a historic, pedestrian‑friendly corridor that borders the University of North Carolina campus. It’s home to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, music venues, and late‑night foot traffic, with seasonal surges around home games, graduation, and special events. The mix of crowds, curbside seating, alleys, and public parking areas makes thoughtful security planning important—adequate lighting, working cameras, clear sightlines, and coordinated policies among neighboring businesses can meaningfully reduce risk.

What is a Negligent Security case in North Carolina?

A negligent security case is a type of premises liability claim. It arises when a business or property owner fails to take reasonable measures to deter foreseeable criminal acts — like shootings, assaults, or robberies — and that failure contributes to someone’s injury or death.

To succeed, a claimant generally must show:

Duty: The owner or operator owed lawful visitors a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises.
Breach: The owner failed to implement reasonable security measures (for example, lighting, cameras, trained personnel, access control, or appropriate policies).
Causation & Foreseeability: In light of prior incidents or obvious risk factors, the crime was reasonably foreseeable, and inadequate security was a proximate cause of the harm.
Damages: The victim suffered actual losses (medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering) or death.

Want a deeper dive? See our resources:

Practice Page: Negligent Security

Article: Negligent Security: A Guide for Victims

Do property owners have a duty to protect guests from crime?

Yes — not to guarantee perfect safety, but to use reasonable care under the circumstances. What is “reasonable” depends on the property’s location, history, operations, and known risks. Factors that often matter include: Prior incidents and warnings: A history of violence, weapons, or disorder on or near the property should trigger enhanced precautions. Lighting and visibility: Parking lots, docks, walkways, and outdoor seating areas should have adequate lighting and clear sightlines. Surveillance and monitoring: Cameras should cover high‑risk areas, be functional, and be monitored when appropriate.

Access control and barriers: Entrances/exits, waterfront edges, and gathering areas may require physical barriers, controlled access, or security presence.
Security staffing and training: Trained staff and/or security professionals should be present when conditions warrant (large crowds, late hours, alcohol service, prior incidents).
Prompt maintenance and repairs: Broken lights, non‑working cameras, damaged fencing, or obstructive landscaping should be addressed quickly.
Policies that reduce risk: Clear procedures for crowd control, intoxicated patrons, incident reporting, and emergency response.

For more on owner obligations and common security failures, visit our Negligent Security page.

After a violent incident: What to do (and what not to do)

If you were injured or lost a loved one, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed. These steps can help protect your health and your legal rights:

Get medical care immediately. Even if injuries seem minor, prompt evaluation creates essential records. Your health is the most important thing.
Report the incident and preserve evidence. Obtain the police report number and contact information for investigators. If possible, photograph lighting, camera placement, access points, barriers, and the general layout. Save any videos or witness contacts.
Document your losses. Keep bills, records, and proof of missed work. In wrongful death cases, collect funeral expenses and estate documents.
Avoid recorded statements to insurers for the property owner or their security vendor until you’ve spoken with a lawyer.
Be cautious on social media. Public posts can be taken out of context.
Talk to an experienced attorney early. Key evidence — like surveillance footage — can be lost quickly without immediate action.

Could the Chapel Hill W. Franklin Street shooting support a Negligent Security claim?

Only a full investigation can answer that. In an incident near a busy downtown corridor with bars, restaurants, and pedestrian traffic, investigators typically evaluate questions like: Were there prior incidents of violence or similar disturbances on or near West Franklin Street that should have prompted enhanced precautions? Did the property’s layout and barriers reasonably limit opportunities for an armed attacker approaching public sidewalks, patio seating, alleys, or parking areas? Was there adequate lighting, video coverage, and monitoring of storefronts, curbside seating, and approach routes (including camera placement toward Graham/Roberson intersections)? Did management have policies and trained staff for crowd control and emergency response during peak hours or special events?

Were any known risks (late‑night crowds, alcohol service, past disturbances) met with proportionate precautions (e.g., security presence, incident protocols, cooperation with nearby businesses and law enforcement)? If answers point to foreseeable risks without reasonable countermeasures, victims may have viable negligent‑security claims — and in the most serious cases, wrongful‑death claims.

Why Choose Langino Law PLLC?

Our firm investigates negligent security and wrongful death cases throughout North Carolina. We move quickly to preserve evidence, obtain 911/CAD data, collect prior incident reports, secure surveillance video, and work with security and human‑factors experts when needed. We handle catastrophic‑injury and wrongful‑death claims with compassion and trial‑ready preparation.

Our Results in Premises Liability & Negligent Security

We have resolved significant premises‑liability and negligent‑security matters for clients across North Carolina. While every case is unique and past outcomes don’t guarantee future results, our track record reflects thorough investigation, strategic negotiation, and readiness for trial when needed. Representative examples include:

$15,000,000 Judgment – Negligent Security (Catastrophic Injury): Young woman struck by a stray bullet in a dangerous parking lot, causing severe facial and kidney injuries.
$1,000,000 Policy Limit Settlement – Negligent Security (Policy Limits): Young woman shot in a parking lot at night.
$410,000 Settlement – Negligent Security (Traumatic Brain Injury): Young man assaulted in front of a bar. See additional outcomes on our firm’s Results page.

Learn more about our approach:

Practice Page: Negligent Security

Article: Negligent Security: A Guide for Victims

Article: Wrongful Death: A Guide for Survivors

Speak With A North Carolina Negligent Security Lawyer Today

If you or someone you love was harmed in a shooting or a similar incident, we’re here to help you understand your options and protect your rights.