A Friday shooting near Virginia Tech left 1 person dead and 4 others injured, the Blacksburg Police Department shared in a statement.
Several people were transported to a local hospital after the shooting, which took place before midnight at Melody Hookah Lounge in Blacksburg. Following the shooting, Virginia Tech issued a “secure in place” order before it was lifted at 3:15 a.m., The Hill reports. Police are now investigating the shooting as a homicide.
“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased and we extend our support to those who were injured,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands wrote to the school community. “Events like this are difficult and unsettling to all of us. Please care for yourself and seek assistance if you need it.”
Sands added that one of the four injured people is a student at the university, and that names are not being released at this time. Local authorities and the school are urging those with information about the shooting to come forward.
“Knowing what happened so long ago, it’s never far from people’s minds,” VT senior Emma Lopus told WSLS 10, referring to the April 2007 shooting that left 32 people dead on the school’s campus. “Everyone has thought about it at some point. And it feels far away, but when something like this [happens], it’s like it’s not far away anymore.”
