WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) — A man who fired gunshots inside a classroom at a northern Virginia community college was arrested shortly afterward, police said Tuesday. No injuries were reported.
Prince William County police spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Chinn said a student pointed a gun at a teacher in class at Northern Virginia Community College's campus in Woodbridge, about 25 miles south of Washington, D.C.
"The teacher hit the floor when she saw a gun come up," Chinn said. It wasn't immediately clear how the gunman was apprehended.
Police spokeswoman Sharon Richardson says officers responded about 2:40 p.m. to an "active shooter" situation following reports of a gunman in the main administration building.
The college enacted its emergency lockdown procedures and later issued a statement saying all Woodbridge classes were canceled Tuesday because of the shooting incident. Some students, faculty and staff were sent to a nearby high school.
Police tactical teams were conducting a safety sweep of the campus, Richardson said.
More than two hours after the incident, though, student Christian Dorn told WRC-TV by telephone that she was still barricaded inside a classroom. She said a SWAT team came through the building and told students to stay where they were.
She recalls hearing two loud shots in the building and screams to call 911.
"I just thought about Virginia Tech and Columbine and just was praying this was not another one of those situations," she told the television station. "We're just confused right now. We're ready to leave."
Student Josh Davies told WTOP Radio he was sitting in a basement classroom when his class heard about the shooting.
"A gentleman ran inside, slammed the door and informed us that another gentleman was telling everyone that there were gunshots fired," he said. "That's when we barricaded ourselves inside the door."
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH