Five wounded in Virginia State University shooting; multiple suspects at large

Five people were shot outside a residence hall at Virginia State University near Richmond early Saturday morning, with one victim in critical condition and multiple suspects still unaccounted for as of reporting time.

Officers responded to the incident outside the residence hall at approximately 1:28 a.m. local time on August 15, according to BBC News reporting. All five individuals with gunshot wounds were transported to local hospitals. One victim remained in critical condition; the other four sustained injuries not deemed life-threatening, per the reporting.

The shooting involved multiple suspects, though it was not immediately clear as of reporting whether anyone had been arrested. A temporary lockdown of the campus was lifted, but a significant law enforcement presence remained on site, according to BBC News. Chesterfield County Police are leading the investigation with assistance from other local law enforcement and campus police.

Virginia State University is home to approximately 5,000 students and sits just over 20 miles south of Richmond. The university is one of the country's historically Black colleges and universities. Classes for the new academic term were set to begin Monday, and campus dormitories opened for returning students on Friday, according to the reporting.

As of the reporting time, the identities of the victims and suspects had not been disclosed, the motive remained unclear, and no information was available on any connections between the victims and those involved in the shooting.