A gunman opened fire at Old Dominion University’s Constant Hall in Norfolk, Virginia, on the morning of Thursday, March 12th, injuring two people before being shot dead by responding authorities.
The incident occurred shortly before 10:50 a.m., according to an emergency alert issued by the university.
ODU officials confirmed that the two injured individuals were immediately transported to a local hospital, though their current condition has not been disclosed. Classes and campus operations were suspended for the remainder of the day, and students and staff were advised to avoid the area around Constant Hall while emergency personnel secured the scene.
A student who was taking a test in Constant Hall at the time, described hearing “a multitude of gunshots” and people screaming before evacuating the building after the fire alarm went off. He praised the swift police response, noting that officers quickly guided students to safety.
Norfolk Police and the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were among the first responders to arrive at the campus. By midday, streets surrounding Constant Hall were blocked off to allow emergency crews to conduct their work.
Old Dominion University, which serves approximately 24,000 students, confirmed that there was no longer an active threat on campus by early afternoon.
The Virginia university incident comes after the deadly Rhode Island attack on December 13th last year, where two students were killed and at least nine other people injured at Brown University.
