7 injured in shooting at Virginia Commonwealth University

Seven people were injured in a shooting Tuesday on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus after a high school graduation ceremony was held there, Richmond police said.

Two suspects were in custody, police said at a news conference.

Three of the victims were being treated for injuries thought to be life-threatening and four had non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

An additional six people sought treatment for conditions including anxiety and falls, police said.

“Children were involved here, at a graduation,” Mayor Levar M. Stoney said. “This is tragic but also traumatic. Because this is their graduation day.”

The shooting took place at Monroe Park, an open space on campus, at 5:13 p.m., authorities said.

Huguenot High School’s graduation was scheduled to be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Altria Theater, adjacent to the park, according to its website.

In a notice posted to its website, the school said the shooting took place in the park after the graduation ceremony. It said Richmond Public Schools would close all schools Wednesday.

Authorities not have provided any additional information about the victims

The university initially said the shooting was part of an “active threat” on campus. School officials later said in a campus alert, “There is no ongoing threat to the community but there is a heavy police presence at Monroe Park.”

State and local police were at the scene, and the Richmond Police Department was in charge of the investigation, the school said.

Dennis Romero

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Gemma DiCasimirro and Lindsey Pipia contributed.