Police announced Saturday the arrest of 19-year-old Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia, in connection with a shooting that injured five people at Virginia State University. One victim remained in critical condition, while the other four sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Harris was found hiding in a dormitory closet on campus and is not a VSU student, according to Chesterfield County Police. He faces eight felony warrants, including charges for malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Authorities have not yet disclosed a potential motive for the shooting.
Officers responded to a call at approximately 1:28 a.m. Saturday in the 3300 block of Boisseau Street, where they discovered five individuals with gunshot wounds outside VSU residence halls. All five were transported to area hospitals. The victims range in age from 17 to 23. One victim, a 20-year-old VSU student, was among those with non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released from the hospital. Four of the injured are not VSU students.
The shooting occurred near the school's Quad Annexes student housing complex. The university initially initiated a campus lockdown, which has since been lifted. VSU officials stated that law enforcement does not believe there is an immediate threat to the campus community and that VSU police will maintain an increased presence as the investigation continues.
This incident took place on the same day that resident halls opened for returning students for the fall semester, with classes scheduled to begin on Monday.
Virginia Del. Rozia A. Henson Jr., an alum of VSU, expressed heartbreak over the news on social media, sending prayers to those affected and the entire Trojan family. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger also shared her thoughts, praying for the recovery of the injured and thanking first responders.
The investigation is being led by the Chesterfield County Police Department with assistance from VSU police, the U.S. Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office. The university is asking anyone with information to contact Chesterfield County Police, Crime Solvers, or VSU police.