Five people were shot at Virginia State University in the early hours of Aug. 15, prompting a temporary lockdown of the campus and a police investigation.
The campus was placed under lockdown following a shooting that involved multiple suspects, Virginia State University said in a Saturday morning statement on social media.
The university said the shooting occurred near the Quad Annexes, which are located in the 3300 block of Boisseau Street.
Later Saturday night, police arrested a 19-year-old suspect hiding in a dormitory closet on campus in connection with the shooting.
Chesterfield County Police identified the suspect as Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. They obtained eight felony warrants for his arrest. Authorities said he was not a Virginia State University student. No information was given on a possible motive.
During the lockdown, the university asked the campus community to avoid the area and follow the instructions of law enforcement officials.
The Virginia State University Police issued an alert at 1:58 a.m. on Saturday, stating: “Shots fired on campus near the Quads. Avoid the area. Campus is on lockdown. Updates to follow.”
In an update announcing the lifting of the campus lockdown, Virginia State University said law enforcement officials responded to the scene at 1:28 a.m. Officers found five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside the campus housing buildings.
All five of the individuals were transported to local hospitals, with one in critical condition. The other four individuals, aged from 17 to 23, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Only one was a student.
Virginia State University later announced that one of the five individuals shot on Aug. 15 was confirmed as a student at the university. The student sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was released from the hospital, according to the university.
The university also said on Saturday afternoon that law enforcement officials did not believe there was any immediate threat to the campus community. However, the university said the Virginia State University Police would maintain an increased presence during an investigation into the shooting.
“We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community,” it said. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
An investigation into the shooting is being led by the Chesterfield County Police, with assistance from the Virginia State University Police, the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
While the lockdown was lifted on Saturday morning, Virginia State University said a significant law enforcement presence remained at the campus as the investigation continued.
“I’m deeply troubled by the news out of Virginia State University this morning. Mellanda and I are praying for everyone injured, especially the person in critical condition, and for the entire VSU community,” Don Scott, speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, wrote in a statement on social media following the shooting.
“We’re grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene, and we’ll continue closely following the investigation.”
Gov. Abigail Spanberger also released a statement regarding the shooting on Saturday afternoon.
“Adam and I are praying for a quick recovery for those who were shot this morning at Virginia State University, and our thoughts are with the VSU community,” she wrote in a post on X. “Thank you to the first responders and law enforcement who responded to the scene.”
The Aug. 15 shooting occurred just one day after the university’s residence halls opened for returning students. The residence halls opened for new students last week, with the university’s “New Trojans Experience” for students taking place this week. The university’s fall semester classes are scheduled to begin on Aug. 17.
Virginia State University is a historically black university located in Ettrick, Virginia, about 24 miles south of the state capital of Richmond. The public university has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-supported four-year college for black Americans. Most of its students are undergraduates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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