Parents question VSU security after 5 people shot on campus
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Parents and students are pressing Virginia State University for tighter security after five people were shot on campus early Saturday, just before the first day of classes.
Why it matters: It was unclear whether VSU is planning any changes.
The big picture: The frustration follows concerns over campus access and several incidents of on- or near-campus gun violence in recent years, including at least three in 2024 and two in 2025.
- And while the HBCU's president, Makola Abdullah, acknowledged families’ concerns Sunday, saying student safety remains “among our highest priorities,” he didn’t say whether security or residence hall procedures are being updated.
- VSU didn’t respond to Axios’ requests for comment.
What they’re saying: The shooting rattled parents who had just dropped their children off for the semester, prompting a flood of comments on VSU’s social media pages questioning whether the university is doing enough to keep outsiders off campus.
- Several commenters identifying themselves as family members or students pointed to their own experiences entering campus without being asked for ID at the gate.
- Others called for a town hall, tighter visitor restrictions, more police presence and closing the campus to unauthorized visitors, per an Axios review.
Catch up quick: Saturday’s shooting happened around 1:30am near dorms ahead of classes starting Monday.
- One of the five people shot was a VSU student, police said. Another victim remains in critical condition.
- Police arrested a 19-year-old from Henrico, who isn’t a student, after finding him hiding in a dorm closet over 14 hours after the shooting and hours after the campus lockdown was lifted.
Between the lines: How the suspect got on campus and into a dorm remains unclear.
- VSU’s security policy says that after business hours visitors must have a university ID or be accompanied by a student, faculty or staff member.
- Residence halls are also restricted to residents or approved guests.
What we're watching: Police are still working to identify others who fired guns during the shooting.
- Meanwhile, the 19-year-old suspect, who appeared before a judge Monday, is due back in court Dec. 1.