A shooting incident involving multiple suspects resulted in five individuals being shot at Virginia State University, leading to a campus lockdown in the early hours of Saturday. The shooting occurred in the vicinity of the university’s Quad Annexes, with both campus police and Chesterfield County police actively conducting investigations. Upon their arrival, county police found five individuals with gunshot wounds outside the campus dormitories.
The victims were promptly taken to hospitals for treatment, with one person initially categorized as having life-threatening injuries now in critical condition, as per county police. The remaining victims sustained injuries that were deemed non-life-threatening. The university issued a statement indicating that the shooting involved multiple suspects and advised people to steer clear of the immediate area.
Law enforcement presence was notably high on campus on Saturday morning, with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office providing support, according to county police. Virginia State Police directed inquiries to local police, who are spearheading the investigation. Both county police and campus authorities mentioned that further details would be shared later in the day.
Virginia State University, a historically Black institution situated in Ettrick, Va., serves approximately 5,700 students and was the first state-supported four-year college for Black Americans. The majority of its student body consists of undergraduates. The shooting incident occurred shortly before the commencement of the academic year at Virginia State. The university’s website notes that residence halls welcomed students a week before, with classes scheduled to commence on Monday following the completion of the “New Trojans Experience” orientation program for new students.