5 people shot at US university as police probe multiple suspects

A shooting involving multiple suspects and five people shot at Virginia State University prompted a campus lockdown early on Saturday.

It happened near the university’s Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers discovered five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories. Officers responded just before 1.30am and the lockdown was lifted at about 9am, county police said.

The five victims were transported to hospitals, and one initially listed as having life-threatening injuries has been upgraded to critical condition, county police said. The other victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The university said in a statement that the shooting involves “multiple suspects.” The statement asked people to avoid the immediate area on Saturday morning.

“A significant law enforcement presence remains on campus as the investigation into this morning’s shooting continues,” the university said after the lockdown was lifted.

The campus had a large law enforcement presence on Saturday morning. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office were assisting, county police said.