Five people were wounded when gunfire erupted early Saturday morning near dormitories at Virginia State University, according to reports. The shooting comes just two days before the start of the fall semester.
Gunfire broke out around 1:30 a.m. ET in the area of university housing in Chesterfield County, Virginia, WTVR CBS 6 reported. Responding officers found five victims with gunshot wounds, according to the report.
One victim was initially treated for life-threatening injuries but has since been upgraded to critical condition. The other four victims appear to have suffered minor graze wounds, officials said.
In a social media post, university officials said the shooting involves “multiple suspects.”
“VSU Police and the Chesterfield County Police Department are actively investigating,” Virginia State University said in an update posted at 5:56 a.m.
At 8:22 a.m., the university announced that the lockdown had been lifted, but noted that “a significant law enforcement presence remains on campus as the investigation into this morning’s shooting continues.”
As of the time of the latest update, no arrests had been reported. The university urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact law enforcement.
Shooting disrupts start of semester
The incident occurred just two days before classes were scheduled to begin Monday at Virginia State University, a historically black land-grant institution in Ettrick, Virginia, south of Richmond. The university has an on-campus enrollment of roughly 5,000 students.
The university said in its morning update that the investigation is ongoing and that police presence would remain on campus.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or the suspects, and no motive has been established. The university is urging anyone with information to come forward.
“This is a developing story,” the university said in its social media posts. Students and staff are advised to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to police.
Virginia State University, founded in 1882, is one of Virginia’s two public historically black universities. The shooting is the latest in a series of incidents involving gun violence on college campuses across the country.
No further details were immediately available. The Daily Wire will continue to monitor this story.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/multiple-people-shot-at-virginia-state-university