Norfolk: A gunman is dead, and two people remain hospitalised following a shooting on Thursday inside an academic building at Old Dominion University, officials said.
The gunfire erupted shortly before 10:49 a.m. (local time) in Constant Hall, which houses the university's Strome College of Business. University police and the Norfolk Police Department responded to the scene, where they discovered two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
The university confirmed that the assailant is deceased, though officials have not yet disclosed the shooter's identity or the specific circumstances surrounding the death.
"A gunman in Constant Hall opened fire and injured two people," university spokesperson Jonah Grinkewitz stated, adding that the wounded were transported to a local hospital. Their current conditions have not been released.
Campus closure and federal response
In the wake of the violence, university administrators cancelled all classes and suspended operations on the main campus for the remainder of Thursday. Students and faculty were urged to follow "Run-Hide-Fight" protocols during the initial emergency and were later told to avoid the area near Constant Hall as the investigation continued.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed on social media that special agents were on the scene to assist local law enforcement.
The shooting prompted nearby Norfolk Public Schools, including Larchmont, James Monroe, and W.H. Taylor elementary schools, to enter a "secure hold" status as a precautionary measure. An "all clear" for the university campus was eventually issued around 12:10 p.m., after authorities determined there was no longer an active threat to the community.
The motive for the attack remains under investigation.