Multiple people shot two days ahead of semester start at Virginia college

Five people were shot at Virginia State University, with one in critical condition, after an early morning incident on Saturday, Aug. 15, according to a university post on X. Officials say a campus lockdown has been lifted as of 8:22 a.m.

"Multiple people were shot," officials said in the 5:56 a.m. ET post. "At this time, none of the injuries appear to be life threatening."

University police and the Chesterfield County Police Department are investigating the 1:28 a.m. incident, and officials ask that members of the campus community avoid the area, according to the post. Victims were transported to hospitals, according to a separate post by the VSU police department.

Virginia State University is a public HBCU just south of the Virginia state capital of Richmond. The fall 2026 semester is set to begin on Monday, Aug. 17, according to the university's online calendar.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.