A Rocky Mount city councilman was arrested Saturday at North Carolina Central University after a bystander reportedly spotted him carrying a Glock handgun during the school's homecoming festivities, and he now faces felony charges that could reshape both his political career and his standing as a concealed carry holder. Timothy Jerome Walker Jr., who represents Ward 4 on the Rocky Mount City Council, was taken into custody by campus police and later released on $10,000 bond.
According to WRAL, officers said Walker brought a gun onto NC Central's Durham campus on Saturday and now faces two gun charges, including bringing a weapon onto educational property, a felony, and carrying a concealed weapon on campus during the homecoming event. Walker is scheduled to appear in court on October 15 at 8:45 a.m., and WRAL reported it had reached out to him for comment on the arrest. Separately, Charlotte Alerts News reported that a bystander observed Walker with the handgun and alerted campus police, who then detained him.
A Homecoming Weekend Turns Into a Legal Mess
The arrest unfolded during NC Central's “Ultimate Homecoming Experience 2026,” a week of campus festivities that wrapped up Saturday with the Eagles' football game against William & Mary at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, according to North Carolina Central University Athletics. The event draws thousands of alumni and visitors back to the Durham campus each year, and Walker has personal ties to the school: he's an NCCU graduate who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and remains an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, per the same account from Charlotte Alerts News.
Walker was elected to represent Ward 4 on the Rocky Mount City Council for a four-year term running from 2023 through 2027, according to the City of Rocky Mount. Outside his council duties, Walker works as a Community Engagement Coordinator in Rocky Mount and serves as an assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, a longtime local congregation pastored by his grandfather, according to WeFit Inc.
What the Felony Charge Actually Means
Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-269.2(b), knowingly carrying any firearm on educational property or at a school-sponsored activity is classified as a Class I felony, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. State law does carve out a narrow exception: concealed handgun permit holders may store a locked firearm inside a closed vehicle on campus grounds, but carrying a weapon on one's person remains illegal no matter the permit status, per NC State University Legal Services.
A conviction under that statute also carries a steep administrative consequence. Per the Union County Sheriff's Office, anyone convicted of carrying a weapon on educational property faces a mandatory three-year disqualification from holding or obtaining a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina under a separate statute governing permit eligibility.
City Hall Stays Quiet as Case Moves Forward
The City of Rocky Mount issued a statement acknowledging Walker's arrest but said it would not comment on pending legal proceedings involving individual elected officials, adding that municipal operations remain focused on serving residents, Charlotte Alerts News reported. Walker serves on the council alongside Mayor C. Saunders “Sandy” Roberson Jr. and fellow members including Ward 1 Councilman Andre Knight, who is also an NC Central alumnus, according to the City of Rocky Mount.
It remains unknown whether Walker holds a valid concealed handgun permit, where exactly on campus the encounter took place, or what his legal counsel or Durham County prosecutors may say before his October 15 court date. Walker is due in court that morning at 8:45 a.m., per WRAL's reporting, as the case against the Rocky Mount councilman heads toward its first real test in a Durham County courtroom.
