Virginia State Shooting Suspect Found Hiding On Campus

A 19-year-old man was arrested Saturday in connection with a shooting that wounded five people at Virginia State University after authorities found him hiding inside a campus dormitory closet, police said.

Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia, was found hiding in a closet inside Seward Hall at approximately 4 p.m., more than 14 hours after the shooting erupted near university residence halls early Saturday morning, according to the Associated Press. Harris is not a student at Virginia State University.

Camron Harris (Chesterfield County Police via AP)

Police obtained eight felony warrants for Harris: four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was taken to the Chesterfield County Jail and is being held without bond. Authorities said additional charges may be filed, according to WTVR.

The shooting occurred at approximately 1:28 a.m. Saturday near the university’s residence halls. Officers responding to the scene found five people suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim, a 21-year-old man who is not a VSU student, remains in critical condition. The other four victims, ranging in age from 17 to 23, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Only one — a 20-year-old who has since been released from the hospital — is a VSU student.

The university initially warned that the shooting involved “multiple suspects,” and the campus was placed on lockdown as police searched for those responsible. The lockdown was later lifted after authorities determined there was no immediate threat to the university community. Police said Sunday that they were still seeking additional people who fired weapons and were working to determine whether they had acted in self-defense or were among the aggressors, the AP reported.

Chesterfield County Police are leading the investigation with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Police have not announced a motive for the shooting. Virginia State University, a historically black public university located in Ettrick, Virginia, has approximately 5,700 students. The shooting occurred two days before fall classes were scheduled to begin Monday. Continuing students were returning to campus Friday as incoming students concluded orientation activities.

The university’s “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students concluded Friday and included remarks from former NFL quarterback Cam Newton. The shooting also follows several previous incidents of gun violence on or near the Virginia State campus. The university experienced multiple lockdowns related to gunfire in 2024. In 2025, one person was shot near a campus basketball court, while another man was killed in a parking lot near the university, according to The Washington Post.

The investigation into Saturday’s shooting remains ongoing.