A shooting involving multiple suspects and five people shot at Virginia State University prompted a campus lockdown early Saturday morning. The shooting occurred near the university’s Quad annexes, and both campus and Chesterfield County police are actively investigating. County police said officers discovered five people with gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories when they arrived. All five victims were transported to hospitals, and one who was initially listed with life-threatening injuries was elevated to critical condition, county police said. The other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The university said in a statement that the shooting involved “multiple suspects.” The statement asked people to avoid the immediate area. “VSU Police and the Chesterfield County Police Department are actively investigating,” the university statement said. “The university community should continue to avoid the area and follow all instructions from authorities.” The campus had a large police presence Saturday morning. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office were assisting, county police said. Virginia State Police referred questions to local police, who they said are leading the investigation. County police and campus officials said there would be more information later in the day. Virginia State University is a historically black university located in Ettrick, Virginia, about 24 miles south of the state capital of Richmond. The public university has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-funded four-year university for African Americans. Most of its students are university students. The shooting occurred just before the start of the academic year in the state of Virginia. According to the university’s website, residence halls opened to students a week ago and classes will begin Monday. Many students had just completed the university’s “New Trojan Experience” for incoming students.___Whittle reported from Portland, Maine.
