19-year-old arrested after Virginia State University shooting

A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a shooting that left five people wounded at Virginia State University as students were returning to the HBCU for the start of the fall semester.

Chesterfield County Police identified the suspect as Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. Police said Harris, who is not a VSU student, was found hiding in a closet inside a campus residence hall on Saturday, Aug. 15, several hours after the shooting.

Authorities obtained eight felony warrants for Harris, including malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to the Associated Press. Police have not publicly identified a possible motive, and it was not immediately clear whether Harris had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

The shooting happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. near the Quad Annexes, a residential area on the Virginia State University campus in Ettrick, about 20 miles south of Richmond. Responding officers found five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside campus residence halls. All five were taken to area hospitals.

The victims ranged in age from 17 to 23. Police said four of the five are not VSU students. The only student wounded, a 20-year-old, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and has since been released from the hospital. Another victim, a 21-year-old man, remained in critical condition. Authorities have not released the names of those injured.

The gunfire prompted university officials to place the campus on lockdown early Saturday as police searched the area. The lockdown was later lifted after authorities said they did not believe there was an immediate threat to the campus community.

Virginia State initially said the shooting involved multiple suspects. As of Sunday morning, authorities had announced Harris’ arrest but had not provided additional details about whether investigators were still seeking other people in connection with the shooting.

The investigation is being led by Chesterfield County Police with assistance from Virginia State University Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.

The timing of the shooting added to the concern across the VSU community. Residence halls had recently opened for the fall semester, and classes are scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 17. Many incoming students had also just completed the university’s New Trojans Experience, an orientation program designed to welcome new members of the campus community.

Virginia State, founded in 1882, is one of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities and enrolls roughly 5,700 students. The university is also one of Virginia’s two land-grant institutions.

In a statement following the shooting, university officials acknowledged the fear and concern the incident had caused among students, families, alumni and others connected to VSU. The school said student safety and well-being remained its highest priority.

A significant law enforcement presence remained on campus as investigators worked to determine what led to the shooting.

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to contact Chesterfield County Police or Crime Solvers.