VICTORIA, Texas — A 30-year-old Victoria College student was shot on campus Monday night.
The male victim was shot in a parking lot in front of the community college’s Continuing Education building and Language building, Victoria Advocate reports. He was able to enter the Continuing Education building and bystanders contacted police, said President Jennifer Kent. The victim was then located in the parking lot and taken to a local hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds to his arm and leg. He was released from the hospital Monday night.
During a media briefing Tuesday night, Kent said investigators have reason to believe the shooter and victim knew each other but that there is no reason to believe the shooter is a student at Victoria College. Victoria Police Department Officer David Brogger said no suspect or suspects have been identified.
“It’s early in the investigation,” Kent said. “I know there were many witnesses last night, and that’s just going to take some time to get through,” said Kent. “But we absolutely have our very best people on the case. And so we will have more information coming soon.”
All Victoria College and University of Houston-Victoria buildings were placed in lockdown around 7:05 p.m.
“As soon as he walked out of the building, we went inside our classroom and turned off all the lights,” said Victoria College student Poblo Valdez. “Basically normal protocols for a lockdown — locked the doors.”
The lockdown was lifted around 8:50 p.m. after officers secured the scene. Police then escorted students and staff to their cars.
Classes were canceled Tuesday and Kent said increased mental health support services will be available for students, faculty, and staff once classes resume Wednesday.
Less than 10 hours earlier, another shooting occurred on a different Texas college campus located approximately two hours from Victoria College. Around 9 a.m. Monday, a Prairie View A&M University employee was shot and killed by a former co-worker at the school’s farm. You can read about that incident here.
