Police arrested a 19-year-old found hiding in a dormitory closet at Virginia State University on Saturday in connection with an overnight shooting on campus that left five people wounded, including one with critical injuries.
The university said in an earlier statement that authorities were searching for multiple suspects, but police provided no additional information Saturday evening about the search. University officials said earlier in the day that law enforcement did not believe there was an immediate threat to the campus community, and a campus lockdown had been lifted. “We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community,” the university statement said. The university has grown in recent years while attempting to improve safety and retain its historic charm, said Arthur Fridrich, the university’s former director of distance education, who lives near the campus and visits regularly. A shooting like this just as students return for classes is heartbreaking for the community, he said.
Authorities have given no information about a possible motive. Police obtained eight felony warrants for Harris, including for malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Efforts to reach Harris’ family by phone were unsuccessful. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.
