In brief
A shooting outside a residence hall at Virginia State University injured five people, one critically, and left suspects still at large. Officers responded at 1.28 a.m., treating all victims as non‑suspects while investigators review surveillance footage. Chesterfield County Police are leading the investigation, with no arrests made so far. The incident interrupts a new semester at one of Virginia’s historically Black colleges and highlights the ongoing concern about campus safety.
A shooting at Virginia State University has left five people wounded, one critically, and authorities say there were multiple gunmen involved, but no arrests have yet been made.
Police arrived at the scene outside a residence hall around 01:28 a.m. local time on Saturday, as reported by the university. All five individuals were taken to local hospitals; four sustained injuries that were not life‑threatening, while one suffered a critical wound.
Chesterfield County Police, led by Lt. James R. Lamb, told broadcasters that the victims included a student and a person under 18. “We know there was more than one shooter, so I would say the suspects are still at large,” Lamb said. He added that investigators are still reviewing surveillance footage and no one who was injured is presently treated as a suspect.
Classrooms for the new term were scheduled to begin Monday, and dormitories reopened for students on Friday, according to the university’s website. A temporary lockdown was lifted, though a significant law‑enforcement presence remained on campus to ensure safety.
Virginia State University, founded to provide higher education to African Americans denied access elsewhere, hosts around 5,000 students and sits just over 20 miles south of Richmond. The incident underscores the broader challenges of campus safety amid rising gun violence across the United States.
