A shooting occurred at Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, injuring five people, one of whom is in critical condition.
According to local media, including NBC News, the incident took place at 1:28 a.m. on August 14 near a dormitory. Freshman Julia Lewis, who was asleep in her dorm at the time, told the local newspaper Progress-Index, "I woke up to the sound of gunfire. When I opened the window, I saw people and police running in the street." Following the shooting, police closed the campus but lifted the lockdown at 8:22 a.m., allowing scheduled student move-ins to proceed. Authorities have maintained a significant police presence on campus for safety.
All five victims were transported to nearby hospitals, with one in critical condition. The university reported that one of the four individuals with non-life-threatening injuries is a student who has since been discharged. The Chesterfield County Police Department is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office, according to NBC. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
The shooting occurred on the day designated for returning students to move into dorms. Classes are set to begin on August 17. New students moved in on August 7 and 8, while returning students moved in on the 14th. The university also held a "New Trojan Experience" orientation program from August 10 to 14. Additionally, a professional wrestling event is scheduled for August 15 at the campus multipurpose center, raising concerns about safety.
Virginia State University, located about 200 kilometers south of Washington, D.C., has an enrollment of 5,700, primarily undergraduate students. It is recognized as the first four-year historically Black college in the U.S. to receive full state funding.
Following the incident, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger expressed her condolences to the shooting victims on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, "I am praying for the swift recovery of those injured in the shooting at Virginia State University this morning," and extended her thoughts to the university community.
Messages from parents and alumni flooded the university's official Facebook page. One parent shared that they had dropped their daughter off at the dorm just hours before the shooting, emphasizing the need for enhanced security during the school year. An alumnus reminisced about visiting the campus with his wife, noting that such incidents prevent students, faculty, and visitors from fully enjoying the peace he once experienced.
The Guardian reported, citing the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, that there have been 300 mass shooting incidents in the U.S. this year, defined as events with four or more casualties. The shooting at Virginia State University falls under this classification.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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