A gunman opened fire in the dining hall of the University of Bridgeport, injuring one person and prompting a campus lockdown as police searched for the suspect.
Police in Connecticut's largest city said the victim was being treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening and the shooter remained at large Wednesday. The lockdown was lifted shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday as police called it an “isolated incident” with no further threat to the public.
Authorities said the shooting happened shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and officers arrived minutes later to a chaotic scene. The shooting involved two young men who were not students of the college, police said. The men knew each other, and the shooting appeared to be the result of an argument, authorities said.
Police Chief Roderick Porter said the victim was alert and talking to police Tuesday night. He said several people were in the dining hall at the time, and he did not immediately know how many shots were fired.
“We want to reassure students, parents, faculty, and Bridgeport residents that the area is safe,” Porter said in a statement. “To further strengthen the security of the area, police presence will be maintained on the University of Bridgeport campus until the suspect is brought to justice.”
The private college's president, Danielle Wilken, said the dining hall was open to the public Tuesday evening because of sporting events on campus.
The nonprofit school has about 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students.
