One person is dead and two other victims are injured after a shooting at Old Dominion University on Thursday morning, the Virginia school police said.
The gunman, who is also dead, according to school officials, opened fire just before 10:49 a.m. in Constant Hall, an academic building on the school’s Norfolk, Virginia, campus. It wasn’t immediately clear how the shooter died.
Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton confirmed during a news conference that one of the three victims who was injured had died. He said authorities learned that there was a third victim who brought themselves to a hospital, he said. The two remaining victims appear to be in stable condition, he said.
“One of the victims is deceased,” Shelton said. “And we’re working on getting in touch with the family at this point.”
The victims have not been identified. Lt. Col. Jimmy Delongchamp, public information officer for the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Fort Knox, told The Associated Press that the two people wounded are members of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at ODU.
Jennifer, a sophomore at the school, told WVEC recalled hearing a group of people saying, “get out, get out, get out.”
“All of a sudden, we heard a commotion. A lot of people rumbling, starting to get up,” she said. “The guy next to me, we looked at each other, we started running, and that’s when we heard, you know, gunshots.”
The school sent out an urgent alert at 10:48 a.m. about an active threat in the building. In an alert sent at 11:30 a.m., the school described the incident as an “active shooter situation” and said the shooter had been “neutralized.”
Shortly before 11:45 a.m., the school announced there is “no longer a threat at Old Dominion University.” Officials have yet to publicly identify the suspected gunman or those who were hurt.
“Old Dominion University has canceled classes and operations on main campus for the remainder of the day,” the school said in a statement. “Please avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency personnel continue to work.”
The public university has more than 23,000 students. Constant Hall, which has two lecture halls and 19 classrooms, serves as the “hub for the College of Business at Old Dominion University,” according to the school’s website.
Norfolk Public Schools has placed three elementary schools under a secure hold in response to the incident, 13News Now reports.
“All students and staff are secure, and we are following established safety protocols. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available,” a spokesperson for the district told the outlet.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued a statement on X, saying, “I’m closely monitoring the on-campus shooting at Old Dominion University. I have spoken with university leadership. My Administration remains in close contact with local emergency responders as state support is being mobilized to assist ODU and Norfolk.”
She added, “I encourage students, faculty, and community members to continue following guidance issued by local law enforcement. I thank all first responders on the scene.”
FBI director Kash Patel said the agency’s “personnel are providing assistance and working with local authorities responding to the shooting at Old Dominion University.” “We will update as able,” he added.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
