Two folks have been fatally shot and several other extra have been injured in a capturing that passed off outdoors a highschool commencement ceremony in Richmond, Va., on Tuesday night, the authorities mentioned.
A 19-year-old male suspect was in police custody, Rick Edwards, the appearing chief of the Richmond Police Division mentioned at a information convention on Tuesday night. “We predict the suspect knew at the very least one of many victims,” he mentioned.
The capturing passed off simply earlier than 5:15 p.m. outdoors the Altria Theater. He mentioned officers contained in the venue had heard gunshots and responded to the scene, the place they’d discovered “a number of victims affected by gunshot wounds.”
The 2 folks killed have been an 18-year-old male and 36-year-old male, Chief Edwards mentioned on the information convention. The authorities haven’t launched the identities of the victims.
The authorities have seized 4 firearms, however one among them is “unrelated” to Tuesday’s capturing, Chief Edwards mentioned.
5 others have been shot and sustained non-life-threatening accidents, he mentioned. A number of different folks, he mentioned, had gone to native hospitals with accidents aside from gunshots, together with one one who was “hit by a automobile in the course of the melee.”
Matthew Stanley, a spokesman for Richmond Public Faculties, confirmed that the capturing passed off in Monroe Park, adjoining to the Altria Theater, instantly after a commencement ceremony for college students of Huguenot Excessive Faculty. One other ceremony scheduled for Tuesday night was canceled.
Clips posted to social media appeared to indicate the aftermath of the shootings. In a single, emergency medical staff gave the impression to be administering CPR to a sufferer. College students have been nonetheless carrying their robes and caps. Different regalia have been strewn throughout the bottom.
Jonathan Younger, a member of the Richmond Metropolis Faculty Board, mentioned he and his colleagues had simply completed celebrating some 300 graduating college students when he heard about 20 consecutive gunshots that “prompted a mad rush dash to get again contained in the constructing.” Emergency medical staff and law enforcement officials have been rapidly on the scene, he mentioned, including that he had seen many individuals who appeared to have been injured in what he described as a “stampede.” Mr. Younger mentioned his shock rapidly turned to “disgust and to anger.”
An announcement posted on the web site for the Richmond Public Faculties on Tuesday night addressed households and workers members, saying that “after the Huguenot Excessive Faculty commencement ceremony, a capturing passed off outdoors in Monroe Park.” The message mentioned all public colleges within the metropolis would shut on Wednesday as a cautionary measure.
“I’m simply bored with seeing folks get shot,” Jason Kamras, the superintendent of Richmond Public Faculties, mentioned on the information convention. “Our children get shot, and I urge of your complete group to cease.”
“Our children can’t take it,” Mr. Kamras mentioned. “Our lecturers can’t take it. Our households can’t take it anymore. I urge of you to cease.”
