Five shot near Virginia State University dorms; police hunt multiple suspects

Five people were wounded in a shooting involving multiple suspects at Virginia State University early on Saturday, prompting a campus lockdown and a police investigation just as students were preparing for the new academic year.

The incident occurred near the university's Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers found five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories. At least one of the wounded was confirmed to be a student, the university said in a statement.

The shooting remains under investigation. Virginia State's academic year is set to begin, with residence halls having opened a week ago and classes scheduled to resume on Monday, August 17. Many students had just completed the university's “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students.

Police and university officials have not identified any of the victims. The five were taken to hospitals. One person initially listed as having life-threatening injuries has been upgraded to critical condition, county police said. The others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The student confirmed among the wounded was not in a life-threatening condition and has been released from a hospital, the university said.

In an early statement on Saturday, the university said the shooting involved "multiple suspects." Later in the day, it said law enforcement did not believe there was an immediate threat to the campus community, and a campus lockdown had been lifted.

"We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community," the university statement said. "The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority."

A large law enforcement presence remained on campus on Saturday morning. The university advised students to monitor their email for additional safety measures and information about support services. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office are assisting, county police said.

Virginia State University is a historically Black university located in Ettrick, Virginia, about 24 miles south of Richmond, the state capital. 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 university has grown in recent years while attempting to improve safety and retain its historic character, said Arthur Fridrich, the former director of distance education, who lives near the campus and visits regularly. He described the shooting as heartbreaking for the community.

"To start a new year with this event is very tragic. It casts a shadow in the minds of all students, and for some it will be difficult to rid their minds of this term," Fridrich said. "For those that were shot, my heart bleeds. I hope that they all mend and somehow do not let this event define their lives."

Governor Abigail Spanberger said on social media that she and her husband were "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 also thanked first responders and law enforcement.

Senator Mark Warner said it was "devastating to see another Virginia campus harmed by gun violence."