S.C. State University officials interviewing ‘person of interest’ in overnight shooting

Officers are working to identify a suspect after two people were shot early Friday morning at South Carolina State University.

Orangeburg, S.C. (WOLO) — Officers are working to identify a suspect after two people were shot early Friday morning at South Carolina State University. School police said they first responded to reports of shots fired at about 2 a.m.

“When police arrived on the scene, they found two females who had sustained gunshot wounds in the leg,” said James E. Clark, President of S.C. State University.

 “After we started walking off shots were fired. And that’s when I was […] I went into the courtyard to try and get away and that’s when I realized my student body came to my side and called the ambulance and I was okay,” said one of the victims.

Neither victim had a life-threatening injury. One of the women is an S.C. State student, and has since been released from the hospital.

“One of which was a student of South Carolina State. We will not try to speak to the other individual,” said Clark.

Officials said the gunshots came from a fight that started off campus.

“An altercation occurred between multiple individuals. These individuals subsequently came onto our campus. Reportedly shots were fired, and then the two young women, who were walking to their residence, got caught in the crossfire,” said Clark.

At this time, police are interviewing a person of interest in connection to the shooting.

“An investigation is ongoing to identify the person, or persons, responsible for the shooting,” said Clark.

The school was placed on lockdown, but that was lifted Friday morning at 8.

“Students, faculty, staff and parents were alerted of the shooting via our Omnilert system,” said Clark.

University police responded quickly and efficiently to the scene, and officers said they prepare for situations such as this.

“We’ve had several training’s this year, and we also do active shooter presentations. We do this to our faculty, staff and students and our entire campus community is invited,” said Chief Joseph Nelson with the S.C. State University Police.

S.C. State does not allow guns on campus, and will expel anyone found with a firearm.

“If a student is found with a firearm here, they go home. That’s it. Zero tolerance,” said Clark.