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A classroom at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte descended into chaos on Thursday afternoon when a former student stormed in with a toy lightsaber and allegedly attacked Professor Brittney Nix-Crawford over a past grade dispute. The bizarre incident left students shaken and the professor recovering.

At a press conference Friday, Charlotte Police Chief, John Simmons described the event as "unacceptable and disruptive." According to Chief Simmons, the suspect burst into the room shouting about a grade from a previous semester before striking the professor with the toy weapon. Students in the class reacted by either fleeing the scene or attempting to disarm the suspect, who was arrested at the scene and later released on $100,000 bail.

“No one should face violence in their workplace,” Chief Simmons said. "While the weapon used may not have been real, the behavior and disruption caused by this act were serious." The suspect’s motive appeared to stem from dissatisfaction with a 'B' grade received in one of Professor Crawford’s courses.

Brockton Packard, a junior in the class, described the surreal scene. “We were taking notes when this guy just barged in yelling, ‘You ruined my life!’ and waving the light saber around. At first, I thought it was a prank, but then he actually hit Professor Crawford,” he said. Packard noted that the professor appeared shocked but stayed composed during the ordeal.

The incident has sparked a mix of shock and support from the academic community. John Ernest, a representative from UNC Charlotte, where the incident took place, issued a statement condemning the attack. “Professor Crawford is known for being a rigorous grader, but such high standards do not justify aggression of any kind,” Ernest said. “We’ve sent her a care package with brownies and chocolate-covered potato chips to help with her recovery. We hope she will be back in the classroom soon.”

Students affected by the event have been offered counseling services, while university officials are reviewing security measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future.

Professor Crawford is currently recovering at home. Despite the unusual nature of the incident, authorities and university officials stress the importance of respect and professionalism in academic settings—for both students and faculty alike.