One dead, four injured in shooting at hookah lounge near Virginia Tech's campus
A Friday night shooting at a Virginia hookah lounge left one person dead and four others injured, police said. One suspect, identified by police as 24-year-old Jamel D. Flint of Roanoke, Virginia, has been taken into custody.
At 11:53 p.m. local time, police responded to reports of shots fired at the Melody Hookah Lounge in Blacksburg, Virginia. Four people were transported to local hospitals from the scene. Police identified the deceased victim as 18-year-old Isiah O. Robinson. The identities of the injured victims have not yet been released.
Police issued six warrants for Flint's arrest, including one warrant for first degree murder and four for attempted murder. The other warrant is for a weapons charge.
A Virginia Tech student was among those injured in the shooting, the school's president Tim Sands said Saturday morning. The school's vice president for student affairs said the university has been in contact with the family of the injured student. They report their son is out of surgery, recovering and seemingly doing well.
Officials said they do not know the severity of injuries for the others injured in the shooting at this time.
"Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased and we extend our support to those who were injured," Sands said in a statement. "Events like this are difficult and unsettling to all of us. Please care for yourself and seek assistance if you need it."
School officials issued alerts to students throughout the night telling them to "secure in place" as emergency personnel were on the scene. The university's transit suspended service Saturday due to the incident.
The Blacksburg Police Department said the shooting "continues to be a complex, ongoing case that has shifted to a homicide investigation."
"Multiple law enforcement agencies are assisting in the area and following up on leads," the department said.
Authorities urged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the local police department.
