A gunman opened fire at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, leaving two people wounded and the shooter dead while authorities work to secure the scene and piece together a motive.
Officials reported an active threat on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, with the incident centered in Constant Hall. The initial scramble by campus police and local responders focused on stopping the shooter and getting help to any wounded. Students and staff were evacuated and the campus locked down as investigators moved in.
Early information was chaotic; some first reports suggested three people had been hurt during the incident, but officials later said two were taken to a local hospital. Witnesses described alarms, running and confusion as they fled buildings, which is consistent with standard emergency responses on campus. Authorities continued to stress this is an active, unfolding investigation with details subject to change.
A gunman is dead after injuring two people at Old Dominion University Thursday morning, according to ODU officials.
A gunman opened fire in Constant Hall at approximately 10:50 a.m. ODU officials said two people were injured as a result and were taken to a local hospital. Their status is currently unknown.
ODU sophomore Logan Hayes was in Constant Hall taking a test when the active shooter situation started. He said the fire alarm went off and he ran out of the building.
As soon as he got outside, Logan told WAVY, “I heard about a multitude of gunshots go off and people just screaming.”
According to reporting, the shooting began at about 10:50 a.m. Eastern time in Constant Hall, a busy academic building on ODU’s campus. The immediate concern for responding officers was to locate and neutralize the threat, then render medical aid to those hit. At the time of the initial reports, the condition of the injured had not been confirmed publicly.
“This is kind of like our new normal,” said Fox News contributor James Gagliano. “We deal with these. Whether or not this was a mass shooting, whether or not this was a hate crime. This could’ve been workplace violence. It could’ve been a love triangle. We have to keep our aperture open on the investigation. Now I say that and suggest that only because the gunman, from what we’re hearing, is down. Police want to immediately go to the sound of the guns, stop the threat, interdict them immediately, get help to the wounded, and then slow things down. The next most concerning thing here, Harris, was this a lone attacker or was this part of a larger conspiracy?”
Campus safety officials and local law enforcement typically follow a well-rehearsed sequence: secure the scene, attend to victims, and then methodically investigate what happened. That process can take hours or days, depending on available evidence, witness accounts and forensic work. Authorities urged anyone with information or photos to come forward as they try to reconstruct the timeline.
Students and nearby residents described a scene of alarm and disruption as classes were interrupted and people tried to get to safety. University systems that alert the community were activated, and police established perimeters around the affected buildings to keep people out of harm’s way. Counseling and support services are commonly offered after such incidents, and those resources will likely be used in the days ahead.
No confirmed information about the alleged shooter or a motive has been released, and investigators warned against speculation while they collect facts. Law enforcement sources said their priority remains ensuring the campus is safe and preserving evidence that could explain how and why the shooting occurred. Given the fluid nature of the situation, updates are expected as officials verify details and release formal statements.
