Hours after gunfire left five people wounded at Virginia State University, investigators say the search for a suspect ended in an unexpected place: inside a closet in one of the campus dormitories.

Police arrested 19-year-old Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia, after finding him hiding in Seward Hall several hours after the shooting early Saturday, Aug. 15.

Harris is not believed to be a student at Virginia State University. He now faces eight felony warrants in connection with the violence, including malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Authorities have not announced a possible motive, and investigators have indicated that additional charges could still follow.

Gunfire Erupts in a Campus Housing Area

The violence unfolded shortly before 1:30 a.m. in the university’s residential housing area known as the Quad Annexes.

Police responding to the scene encountered five people suffering from gunshot wounds.

The victims were not all members of the university community.

Among those wounded was a 20-year-old Virginia State University student who was later released from the hospital.

Four other victims were not VSU students. They were described as a 21-year-old man, a 23-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy.

The 21-year-old was reported to be in critical condition. The other three nonstudent victims suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Authorities have not publicly identified the five people who were wounded.

The shooting immediately prompted a major law-enforcement response and placed the university under lockdown as authorities worked to determine what had happened and whether there was an ongoing danger.

University officials initially said multiple suspects had been involved.

A Search Across Campus

As investigators worked through the early morning hours, attention eventually turned to Seward Hall.

There, police say, Harris was discovered hiding in a dormitory closet.

His arrest came only hours after the shooting, bringing one phase of the search to an end while leaving significant questions about the incident unanswered.

The location of Harris’ arrest added another unsettling element to the case. Although police say he was not a VSU student, he allegedly remained concealed inside a campus residence hall while authorities were investigating a shooting that had already wounded five people nearby.

Following his arrest, Harris was taken to the Chesterfield County Jail.

He was being held without bond.

The eight felony warrants issued against him include accusations of malicious wounding and firearm-related offenses. Police also said the investigation could result in further charges.

At the time of his arrest, authorities had not publicly explained what they believe led to the shooting.

Campus Lockdown Is Lifted

Once law enforcement determined that there was no longer an immediate threat to the campus community, Virginia State University announced that the lockdown had been lifted.

Still, the university made clear that the police response would remain highly visible.

VSU said officers would maintain an increased presence on campus while the investigation continued and emphasized that student safety and well-being remained its highest priority.

Students were also advised to watch their university email accounts for information about additional safety measures and support resources.

The shooting brought a frightening disruption to the campus at a particularly significant moment for the school community.

Students and university officials were left dealing not only with the immediate aftermath of the violence, but also with the uncertainty surrounding how the shooting unfolded and why.

Five Victims, Different Connections to the University

The circumstances of those wounded underscore how the incident extended beyond enrolled students.

Only one of the five victims was identified by authorities as a VSU student.

That 20-year-old was able to leave the hospital after receiving treatment.

The four other wounded individuals ranged in age from 17 to 23.

Of those victims, the 21-year-old man faced the most serious medical situation and remained in critical condition. The 23-year-old man, 19-year-old woman and 17-year-old boy were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.

Their identities were being withheld publicly as the investigation moved forward.

No deaths were reported in connection with the shooting.

Multiple Agencies Join the Investigation

The case has drawn the involvement of several law-enforcement agencies.

Along with the Chesterfield County Police Department and Virginia State University Police, authorities participating in the investigation include the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Investigators continue to seek information from anyone who may know more about what happened.

The involvement of multiple agencies reflects the scope of the investigation as police try to reconstruct the events surrounding the shooting, determine who else may have been involved and establish a possible motive.

Early information from the university referred to multiple suspects, while Harris is the person who has so far been publicly identified as arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

Authorities have not disclosed what relationship, if any, Harris had with the victims or why he was on the university campus.

Those unanswered questions remain central to the continuing investigation.

An Arrest, but the Investigation Is Far From Over

Harris’ discovery inside the dormitory closet brought an arrest within hours of the shooting, but it did not bring an immediate explanation for the violence.

Five people had been wounded. One remained critically injured. A campus had been placed on lockdown, and police were still working to establish exactly what led to the gunfire.

For students, faculty and families connected to Virginia State University, the lifting of the lockdown meant the immediate danger had passed, according to authorities.

The increased police presence, however, served as a reminder that the case remained active.

Harris remained jailed without bond as investigators continued gathering evidence and considering whether additional charges would be filed.

What began with gunfire in a residential section of campus had moved within hours to the arrest of a 19-year-old hiding inside a dormitory closet.

But the biggest question — what led to the shooting in the first place — remained unanswered as the investigation continued.