Court documents: Cary man planned NC State fraternity shooting as revenge for rape
A former Campbell University law student said he planned to shoot up an N.C. State University fraternity last month as revenge for a former girlfriend’s rape, court documents state.
Zachary Olson, 24, of Cary, was arrested Sept. 9 on charges of bringing a gun onto an educational property and carrying a concealed weapon.
According to 911 calls, Olson allegedly walked up to two women outside the Chipotle on Hillsborough Street and asked which fraternity at N.C. State was the “rapiest.” When the women replied with the name of a fraternity and asked why, Olson allegedly pulled a gun out of his waistband and said he planned to “teach them a lesson,” a search warrant for Olson’s cellphone states.
The women called police after Olson began walking toward campus, according to a 911 call. An N.C. State sergeant found Olson in the 2800 block of Thurman Drive, roughly a 15-minute walk from the Chipotle and more than 2 miles from the fraternity house.
Olson immediately told the sergeant he had a gun, according to the search warrant.
The sergeant then removed a loaded Ruger Max-9 pistol from Olson’s back waistband, the search warrant states. Olson was also carrying a gun magazine and some loose bullets.
Wanted to dispense ‘vigilante justice’
After being arrested and taken to the N.C. State Police Department, Olson allegedly said “he wanted to dispense ‘vigilante justice’ on rapists in colleges and fraternities” after overhearing his ex-girlfriend being raped at a party at Clemson University five years ago, the search warrant says.
“Mr. Olson stated that he wanted to do something,” the search warrant states. “Sgt. St. John asked him if his plan was to kill people. Mr. Olson said ‘yes’ but then changed his answer to ‘no.’”
Olson told police he had walked to the Greek Village, home to N.C. State’s on-campus sororities and fraternities, and was no longer angry after arriving there, according to the search warrant.
“He said that he had recently connected with his ex-girlfriend after 5 years and that she told him she reported the sexual assault to Clemson PD but had decided not to pursue the investigation because she had to recount her story,” the search warrant states.
Police found an empty box of 9mm ammunition, documents related to the Ruger pistol’s purchase, a used target, the Ruger gun box and Olson’s cellphone in his car, the search warrant states.
A Campbell University spokesperson confirmed to The News & Observer on Wednesday that Olson, previously a third-year law student, was no longer enrolled at the school. Olson was also terminated from his part-time internship at the Wake County District Attorney’s Office immediately after his arrest, The N&O previously reported.
Olson was originally released on $3,000 secured bond under the conditions that he submit to electronic monitoring, not return to N.C. State’s campus and not possess a firearm while the case was pending. Court documents show those conditions were altered Sept. 30 to remove the electronic monitoring requirement while Olson undergoes residential treatment.
He will next appear in court Nov. 14, according to court records. Olson’s attorney declined to comment Wednesday.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to remove the name of the allegedly targeted fraternity.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
