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VSU student witnessed shooting days after moving to campus: ‘We heard a girl scream'

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PETERSBURG, Va. — A shooting injured four people at Virginia State University early Wednesday, police said. Charges are pending against multiple suspects, and there was no further threat to the community, officials said.

Xavier J. Gordon, 21, of Chesterfield County, was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Clyde D. White Jr., 21, of Chesterfield County, was arrested and charged with brandishing a firearm.

Crime Insider sources say detectives don't believe the two used their weapons.

A police search for the gunmen in the shooting is still underway.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting at the university south of Richmond around 12:30 a.m. and found four people who were shot, Chesterfield County Police said in a news release. All four were taken to hospitals with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said.

WATCH: Virginia State University shooting update

Virginia State University shooting update on Wednesday morning

"Neither Gordon nor White is enrolled at VSU. It is not known whether Gordon or White are known to any of the shooting victims," a Chesterfield Police spokesperson wrote in an email. "Police continue to investigate the events that led up to the shooting; at this point there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the VSU community."

None of the victims or suspects are enrolled for the fall semester, according to university spokesperson Gwen Williams Dandridge. Classes start next week, but freshmen and student leaders are already on campus this week, she said.

The shooting happened a few hours after a "Week of Welcome" social event for first-year students on campus ended.

There were about 1,000 students in attendance, Dandridge said.

VSU student

One first-year student, who spoke to CBS 6 on the condition of anonymity, said he witnessed to the shooting just a few days after he moved to campus.

“We saw the crowd of people walking from the party, and we heard a girl scream, ‘They’re shooting they’re shooting,’” he recalled. “And then we just ran... to our dorms. We just stayed there for the rest of the night.”

The break between academic years was bookended by shootings on or near VSU’s campus.
 
When school was wrapping up in April, a 15-year-old girl was injured in what students referred to as a shootout.

“A bunch of stuff happens on campus but like, a shoot out? That’s crazy,” a student said after that shooting.

Tommy Reekes
Tommy Reekes

Long-time resident Tommy Reekes called that shooting “a shame.” Almost four months later as students come back to campus, he was traveling along that same sidewalk.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Reekes admitted. “I’ve been here 50 years, I’ve seen a lot of changes, a lot of changes here. I’ve seen the fences go up and they’re trying to do that. But you can’t do but so much — especially people who are not supposed to be here that are here, what do you do?”

WATCH: Students share stories after April shootout near Virginia State campus

Students share stories after shootout near Virginia State campus: 'It was just scary'

VSU officials said after the April shooing that there would be a "robust safety plan" in place.

Following Wednesday’s shooting, VSU officials said the campus was secure and that they were not doing anything differently. That is because there was no longer a threat to campus, officials said.

County and university police are investigating. No officers discharged firearms, police said.

The university enrolls about 4,000 students, according to its website.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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