Virginia State University shooting injures five, campus locked down

A shooting involving multiple suspects near Virginia State University dormitories injured five people early on Saturday. The attack triggered an hours-long campus lockdown just before classes, intensifying concern as the investigation continues.Image used for representational purposes onlyA shooting involving multiple suspects left five people injured at Virginia State University early on Saturday, prompting a campus lockdown that was lifted hours later as the investigation continued.The five injured people were taken to hospitals after the shooting near campus dormitories. Chesterfield County police said one person, who was initially listed as having life-threatening injuries, has been upgraded to critical condition, while the others suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.Police officers responded just before 1.30 am near the university's Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers found the five people with gunshot wounds outside the dormitories. The lockdown remained in place until about 9 am, county police said.The university said in a statement that the shooting involved "multiple suspects" and asked people to avoid the immediate area. After the lockdown was lifted, the university said, "A significant law enforcement presence remains on campus as the investigation into this morning's shooting continues." County police said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office were assisting. Virginia State Police referred questions to local police, saying they were leading the investigation. County police and campus officials said more information would be shared later in the day. Virginia State University, a historically Black public university in Ettrick, Virginia, has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-supported four-year college for Black Americans. The shooting happened just before the start of the academic year. According to the university's website, residence halls opened a week ago and classes are due to begin on Monday. Many students had just completed the university's "New Trojans Experience" for incoming students. In sum, the shooting left five people injured, led to a campus lockdown for several hours and remained under investigation on Saturday.With PTI Inputs - EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 15, 2026 20:12 IST