RICHMOND, Va. — A suspect shot and killed a police officer in a parking lot on the Virginia Tech campus today. A second person was also killed in another parking lot, allegedly by the suspect while he was fleeing the scene of the first shooting.

The suspect is at large, according to alerts on the university’s Web site. Campus transit has been suspended and people on campus are urged to stay where they are.

The suspect is described as a white male in a gray hat and sweatpants with a neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack. He was moving on foot across campus.

The university released the following statement:

“Shortly after 12 p.m. today, a Virginia Tech Police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall.

During the traffic stop. the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting.

Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased.

Several law enforcement agencies have responded to assist. Virginia State police has been requested to take lead in the investigation.

Status of the shooter is unknown. The campus community should continue to shelter in place and visitors should not come to campus.”

 Related Articles:

• How to Select a Digital Signage System
• What Hospitals Can Learn From the Va. Tech Tragedy
• Your Mass Notification Cheat Sheet
• Safety Zone: Initial Lessons Learned From the Virginia Tech Tragedy
• Virginia Tech 1 Year Later: How Campuses Have Responded

If you appreciated this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Related Content