A shooting near Virginia State University’s Quad Annexes in Ettrick, Virginia, early Saturday wounded five people, all of whom were hospitalised. One person is in critical condition, the university said.
The incident involved multiple suspects and prompted an hours-long campus lockdown. Virginia State University said the lockdown was lifted at 8:21am local time, or 12:21 GMT, but a significant law enforcement presence remained on campus.
What the university and police said
Virginia State University Police and the Chesterfield County Police Department are investigating, with Chesterfield County Police leading the inquiry. The university advised members of the campus community to avoid the area and follow law enforcement instructions.
The school asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact Chesterfield County Police. No further details about the suspects were provided in the supplied material.
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Timing before the fall semester
The shooting occurred two days before Virginia State University’s fall semester was due to begin. The university is a historically Black institution in Ettrick, about 24 miles south of Richmond, and has about 5,700 students.
What remains in place
Although the campus-wide lockdown was lifted, the university said law enforcement activity remained ongoing as investigators worked at the scene. The immediate instruction was for people to stay away from the affected area and comply with police directions.
More context: Fatal shooting at Seattle Center’s Bite of Seattle food festival leaves two dead.
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