Police are searching for additional armed individuals who fired weapons during an early morning shooting at Virginia State University that left five people wounded, raising questions about whether some may have acted in self-defense or participated as aggressors in the August 17th incident.

Suspect Arrested After 14-Hour Search

Camron Harris, 19, of Henrico, Virginia, was discovered hiding in a dormitory closet and arrested more than 14 hours after the 1:30 a.m. shooting near the university’s Quad Annexes. The arrest came several hours after campus officials lifted a lockdown, having determined there was no immediate threat. Harris faces four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was being held without bond and scheduled for a Monday court appearance.

Lt. James Lamb, commander of the Chesterfield County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit, confirmed investigators are working to identify other individuals who discharged firearms during the incident. Authorities have not disclosed how many additional shooters they are seeking or whether those individuals acted defensively or offensively during the confrontation.

Timing and Victims

The shooting occurred as students prepared for the new academic year, with many having just completed the university’s orientation program for incoming students. Campus police and Chesterfield County officers responding to the scene found five individuals suffering from gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories. The victims ranged from 17 to 23 years old, with only one being a current student at the university. Harris himself was not enrolled at the institution.

Historic Campus Targeted

Virginia State University, located in Ettrick approximately 24 miles south of Richmond, holds the distinction of being the first fully state-supported four-year college for Black Americans. The historically Black university serves about 5,700 students, predominantly undergraduates. Classes were scheduled to resume Monday following the weekend incident. The shooting represents a concerning safety challenge for the institution as it welcomes students back for the fall semester, particularly given the uncertain number of armed individuals involved in the altercation.