Camron Harris Was Found Hiding In A Campus Dormitory Closet After Five People Were Shot Near Residence Halls At The HBCU
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an overnight shooting at Virginia State University that left five people wounded, including one person who remains in critical condition.
Chesterfield County Police identified the suspect as Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. Harris, who is not a Virginia State University student, was found Saturday afternoon hiding inside a closet in Seward Hall on the university’s campus, according to police.
The arrest came hours after gunfire erupted shortly before 1:30 a.m. Saturday near the university’s Quad Annexes, a residential area on campus. Responding officers found five people suffering from gunshot wounds outside the residence halls.
The shooting prompted an hours-long campus lockdown just days after students began returning for the fall semester.
One VSU Student Among Five People Shot
The victims range in age from 17 to 23, according to authorities. Four are not affiliated with Virginia State University.
A 20-year-old VSU student who was wounded has since been released from the hospital. A 21-year-old man who is not a student remained in critical condition following the shooting, while the other victims are expected to recover. Authorities have not publicly released their names.
Police have not announced a possible motive.
Harris faces eight felony warrants, including four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Police said additional charges could be sought as the investigation continues. He was being held without bond at the Chesterfield County Jail.
University officials initially said authorities were searching for multiple suspects. Chesterfield County Police continued investigating Saturday and were looking for additional people connected to the shooting, though authorities had not announced additional arrests as of Sunday morning.
Shooting Comes As Students Return For New School Year
The campus lockdown was lifted at approximately 8:20 a.m. Saturday after authorities determined there was no immediate threat to the university community. Police nevertheless maintained an increased presence as investigators processed the scene.
— Virginia State University (@VSU_1882) August 15, 2026
“We recognize the concern this incident has caused among our students, parents, alumni, friends, and the broader VSU community,” the university said in a statement. “The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
Students were instructed to monitor their university email accounts for additional safety measures and information about support resources.
The shooting occurred at a particularly sensitive time for the historically Black university. Residence halls had opened about a week earlier, incoming students had recently completed the university’s “New Trojans Experience,” and fall classes are scheduled to begin Monday.
Virginia State University, located in Ettrick about 25 miles south of Richmond, has approximately 5,700 students. The university was founded in 1882 and became the first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher education for Black Americans.
Arthur Fridrich, a former VSU director of distance education who lives near campus, told The Associated Press the timing of the violence makes the incident especially painful.
“To start a new year with this event is very tragic,” Fridrich said. “It casts a shadow in the minds of all students.”
Chesterfield County Police are leading the investigation with assistance from Virginia State University Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact Chesterfield County Police or Crime Solvers.
