A 19-year-old was arrested after a shooting at Virginia State University on Saturday left five people wounded, including one with critical injuries. The suspect was found hiding in a dormitory wardrobe.
Arrest and charges
Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia, was taken into custody. He is not a student at the university, and neither were four of the injured, according to Chesterfield County Police. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 23. One of the injured, a 20-year-old student, has been released from the hospital.
Police obtained eight felony warrants for Harris, including for malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Incident details
The shooting occurred just after 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, as students were preparing for the new school year. It happened near the university's Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers found five people with gunshot wounds outside dormitories.
The university was placed on lockdown, which was later lifted as law enforcement did not believe there was an immediate threat to the campus community. The university had earlier said police were searching for multiple suspects, but no additional information was provided on Saturday evening.
Community impact
Residence halls opened for students a week ago, and classes resume on Monday. Many students had just completed the university's "New Trojans Experience" for incoming students.
"We recognise the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community," the university said in a statement. "The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority."
A large police presence remained on Saturday morning. Arthur Fridrich, the university's former director of distance education, who lives near the campus, said the shooting is 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," he 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."
