Seven people were shot, three with life-threatening injuries, near Virginia Commonwealth University in downtown Richmond, Virginia, after a high school graduation ceremony Tuesday, authorities and school officials said.
Two suspects were taken into custody after the incident, Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said at a news conference. Edwards said officers had heard gunfire while inside a theater where the graduation was being held and discovered multiple victims with gunshot wounds outside.
“Three are considered life-threatening. Four are considered non-life threatening,” Edwards said.
Other individuals were treated at the scene or at a hospital for injuries unrelated to the shooting, including two people who fell, one who was hit by a car, and three who suffered from anxiety, according to Edwards.
“We’re going to do everything we can to bring the individuals involved in this to justice,” Mayor Levar Stoney said during the news conference. “This should not be happening anywhere.”
The Richmond Police Department said there was no longer an active threat to the community. People were advised to avoid the area amid the investigation.
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Shooting outside high school graduation ceremony
Matthew Stanley, a spokesperson for Richmond Public Schools, told USA TODAY that the shooting took place outside Monroe Park after a graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School had ended at the theater. Monroe Park is located in downtown Richmond near the VCU campus.
Stanley said the school district has canceled a different graduation that was scheduled for later Tuesday. All district schools will be closed Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution,” Richmond Public Schools said on its website.
VCU alerted the community around 5:30 p.m. that police were responding after shots were fired. State police also sent an alert warning the community to avoid the area.
“My administration continues monitoring the terrible shooting in the heart of Richmond tonight,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said on Twitter. “State law enforcement are fully supporting the Richmond Police Department as this investigation moves forward.”
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Contributing: The Associated Press
