Arrest In Mass Shooting That Hurt 5, Including 1 Student, At Virginia State U: Report

PETERSBURG, VA — A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that injured five people, including a 20-year-old student, outside residence halls at Virginia State University early Saturday, The Associated Press reported.

Police responded to the 3300 block of Boisseau Street, near the Quad Annexes, shortly before 1:30 a.m. for a report of a shooting, according to the university.

Officers arrived at the scene and found five people suffering from gunshot wounds, and the victims were taken to area hospitals. One was in critical condition Saturday morning, while the other four suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, the university said.

Henrico resident Camron Harris, who is not a student, was found hiding in a closet on campus Saturday afternoon and arrested by the Chesterfield County police, according to The AP.

Eight felony warrants, including malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony, were obtained, police told the outlet.

In addition to the 20-year-old student injured, the other four shot ranged in age from 17 to 23, including a 21-year-old man who had critical injuries, according to The Associated Press.

Patch has reached out to the Chesterfield Police Department.

University officials in an update Saturday afternoon said the shooting involved "multiple suspects," but did not provide descriptions.

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VSU initially placed the campus on lockdown following the shooting and urged students and others to avoid the area as the investigation continued.

Groups were gathered in the parking lot, near the annexes, before the shooting, and left cups and food behind as they ran when the shots rang out, witnesses told ABC 8 News.

Sophomore Marhonda Mitchell, who was there at the time of the shooting, told the outlet she saw two groups of people interacting before things escalated, adding, “I started running, I ran by Whiting Hall, and I ran to the back, I’m tryna look for my friends."

Another student told the outlet that she was asleep in her dorm and the shots prompted her to wake up.

Officials said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

"We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority," school officials said in a statement. "Students should monitor their VSU email for additional safety measures currently in effect and information about available support resources."

A large law enforcement presence was at the campus on Saturday morning. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office were assisting campus and Chesterfield police with the investigation.

County police and campus officials said Saturday afternoon more information would be released later in the day.

Virginia State University is a historically Black university located 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 shootings happened just before the start of the academic year. According to the university's website, residence halls opened for students a week ago, and classes are set to begin on Monday. Many students had just completed the university's “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students.

The university has grown in recent years while attempting to improve safety and retain its historic charm, said Arthur Fridrich, the university's former director of distance education, who lives near the campus and visits regularly. A shooting like this just as students return for classes is heartbreaking for the community, he said.

“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.”

Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, said via 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.

Sen. Marker Warner, also a Democrat, said it was devastating to see another Virginia campus harmed by gun violence.

Anyone with information can contact Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251, Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or VSU Police at 804-524-5411.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.