Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Two Shootings at Winston-Salem State During Homecoming Leave One Dead and Three Shot

Two separate shootings on the campus of Winston-Salem State University during homecoming weekend left one person dead and three others shot, Winston-Salem police said on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Police received a call about a shooting on the campus at about 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. Forsyth County Emergency Medical Services said three shooting victims were taken to a hospital. Police later confirmed that one person had died after the two separate shooting incidents on campus, WXII 12 News reported. The station updated its reporting at 3:24 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8, to confirm the death.

What police say happened

Assistant Police Chief Jason Swaim of the Winston-Salem Police Department told reporters at a news conference early on Sunday that both shootings took place on the campus on Saturday. He said it was too early to tell whether the two shootings were connected.

"At this point, the investigation is still very early in its preliminary stages," Swaim said.

Police have not released the name of the person who died. They have not said whether the person killed or the three people wounded are students at the university, and they have not released the conditions of the three survivors. Police gave no word of any arrest when reporters asked, and no suspect information has been released.

Lockdown lifted and campus declared safe

The campus was placed on lockdown after the shootings while officers worked the scene. Police lifted the lockdown in the early hours of Sunday, and by 1:25 a.m. students were being allowed to walk back to their dorms. Authorities said the campus is safe and there is no active threat. Law enforcement officials told WXII that extra officers will be on and around the campus in the coming days.

Police have not said where on campus each shooting happened, what led to the gunfire, or whether either shooting was connected to an official homecoming event.

A homecoming weekend turns to grief

The shootings came during homecoming, one of the biggest weekends of the year at Winston-Salem State. The university played its homecoming football game against Fayetteville State University at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday, and the weekend draws thousands of alumni, students, families and supporters back to the city.

Winston-Salem State is a public historically Black university founded in 1892. It is part of the University of North Carolina system and has served the city for more than 130 years.

What is still unknown

The investigation is in its first hours. Police have not identified any of the four people who were shot, have not described a motive, and have not said whether the two shootings are linked. Officers are asking anyone with information to come forward as the work continues.

This is a developing story. Orbit Post will update this article in place when police release names, conditions or arrest information.