Virginia Tech reports 2 dead, gunman sought
(CBS/AP/WDBJ) Blacksburg, Va. - Virginia Tech University says a police officer and another person are dead after shots were fired on campus Thursday. Authorities were seeking the gunman.
A news release from the school says that the Virginia Tech police officer was shot and killed shortly after noon today during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot.
The school's web site said "the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased."
Virginia Tech's twitter feed described the suspect: "white male, gray sweat pants, gray hat w/neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack."
Virginia State Police will be taking over the investigation, according to the university.
The shooting came the same day as Virginia Tech, which has an enrollment of about 30,000, was appealing a $55,000 fine by the U.S. Education Department in connection with the university's response to the 2007 rampage, when a student gunman killed 32 students and faculty and then shot himself, in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.
Classes are not in session today. It's a "reading day" before the scheduled start of semester final exams tomorrow.
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