A shooting at a North Carolina university leaves 1 dead, 6 injured

A shooting at a tiny college in eastern North Carolina killed one person and injured six others, prompting a campus lockdown early Sunday, the institution said.

The shooting took place in the heart of Elizabeth City State University's campus during Yard Fest, the culmination of the historically Black university's weeklong Viking Fest celebration, according to a statement.

The shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday morning at the center of campus following events for “Viking Fest,” a week of school spirit events, according to a statement from the university.

A 24-year-old guy who was not a student at Elizabeth City State University was slain, according to the statement. His name is being protected until his nearest of kin is contacted.

According to the statement, six persons were hurt, four of them suffered gunshot wounds. Three of the gunshot victims attended Elizabeth City State University. The injuries are not life-threatening, and all patients were sent to a hospital for treatment, according to the university.

As of Sunday afternoon, ECSU police stated that there was no immediate threat to the university community. Patrol has been boosted around campus, and access to the campus center is restricted.

“The university is deeply saddened by this senseless act. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all members of the Viking community affected by this tragedy,” the school said in a social media post.

Several authorities are looking into the incident, including ECSU Police, Elizabeth City Police, Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office, Camden County Sheriff's Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Elizabeth City State University, part of the University of North Carolina system, has just over 2,000 students. The institution is located on North Carolina's coast, approximately 60 miles southwest of Virginia Beach.

The event occurred more than a week after a horrific school shooting at Florida State University, in which two people were killed and six others were injured when officials claimed a student and the son of a local sheriff's officer opened fire on the university's Tallahassee campus.