Seven people were shot and injured after gunmen opened fire at a high school graduation ceremony in Virginia.
The shocking incident took place at the Altria Theater in Richmond where one or more shooters opened fire at around 5 pm on Tuesday while the Huguenot High School graduation ceremony was in progress.
According to the witnesses, some twenty loud bangs were heard before the shooting came to a stop.
At least seven people were injured in the shooting, and three of them were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Six other people suffered injuries unrelated to the shooting.
As of this writing, it remains unclear what the motive for the shooting was and whether the victims were targeted or not. The authorities confirmed, however, that two suspects were taken into custody.
“We immediately heard a series of probably 20 loud bangs in consecutive order,” Jonathan Young, the school’s board member, told 8News.
“And that prompted of course a lot of persons, probably a few 100 persons to make a rush back inside the Altria… controlled chaos.”
Meanwhile, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin reassured the population that the investigation into the shooting is ongoing and that it will receive full support.
“My administration continues monitoring the terrible shooting in the heart of Richmond tonight,” he said.
“State law enforcement are fully supporting the Richmond Police Department as this investigation moves forward.”
Speaking out about the family event that turned into a bloody tragedy was also Richmond mayor Levar M. Stoney who urged the public to stay away from the theater while promising to provide more information once it is available.
“Children were involved here… this is their graduation day. The question that comes to my mind right now is, is nothing sacred any longer? Is nothing sacred any longer?” Stoney said.
“A child should be able to go to their graduation and walk out the graduation and enjoy the accomplishment with their friends and their families. It’s a selfish act. It’s a senseless act. And to me, it’s cowardice.”
As the investigation remains ongoing, the authorities have reassured the public that the suspects are in custody and that “there is no immediate threat to the public.”
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