7 Shot Outside High School Graduation in Richmond, Virginia

Two folks have been fatally shot and a number of other extra have been injured in a capturing that befell exterior 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 expect the suspect knew no less than one of many victims,” he mentioned.

The capturing befell simply earlier than 5:15 p.m. exterior 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 at a later information convention. The authorities haven’t launched the identities of the victims.

The authorities have seized 4 firearms, however considered one of 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 apart from gunshots, together with one one that was “hit by a automobile throughout the melee.”

Matthew Stanley, a spokesman for Richmond Public Colleges, confirmed that the capturing befell 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 point out 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 cops have been shortly 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 shortly turned to “disgust and to anger.”

A press release posted on the web site for the Richmond Public Colleges on Tuesday night addressed households and workers members, saying that “after the Huguenot Excessive Faculty commencement ceremony, a capturing befell exterior in Monroe Park.” The message mentioned all public faculties 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 Colleges, mentioned on the information convention. “Our children get shot, and I encourage of your complete group to cease.”

“Our children can’t take it,” Mr. Kamras mentioned. “Our lecturers can’t take it. Our households can take it anymore. I encourage of you to cease.”