A Virginia State University student was killed in an off-campus shooting Sunday night, according to authorities.
Daniel Wharton of Alexandria was a 19-year-old computer engineering major, a university spokesperson said. Police were called to the University Apartments at Ettrick, near VSU’s campus in a suburb of Richmond, shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday for a report of a shooting, authorities said.
Officers said they found Wharton suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died, according to Chesterfield County police.
Authorities are investigating Wharton’s death as a homicide, said Elizabeth Caroon, a spokeswoman for the police department. Police had not made any arrests, and there was “no suspect information to share,” Caroon said late Monday afternoon.
Wharton’s mother, Tara, said her son hoped to pursue a career in cybersecurity. He also enjoyed playing sports — he took up football at the age of 3 and played through most of high school, his mother said.
Advertisement
She said her son lived on campus and she thinks he was visiting his former suite mates in the off-campus apartment complex Sunday.
“He just had a bright future ahead of him,” Tara Wharton said. She said her son’s freshman year at VSU was virtual, which left him feeling discouraged about college. But after moving onto campus in August, his outlook improved, she said.
“He was just so excited about the future and just encouraging his brother to join him at VSU next year,” Wharton said. “He just loved life.”
VSU President Makola M. Abdullah said the community is “devastated and deeply saddened.”
“It is most difficult and painful to have such a young life cut short as a result of gun violence,” Abdullah said in a statement. “This is a tragedy in every sense of the word. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family, friends and our entire Trojan community.”
Abdullah said campus police believe Daniel Wharton’s death is an isolated incident. The university was placed on lockdown Sunday night after university officials said a student had been shot.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLGkecydZK%2BZX2d9c32OamloaGZkw6q%2BxqKlmmWjqa61sYyupaKulafAqsDYZqqtrZSau7V5w56YraBf