Two Officers Killed in Virginia College Shooting Identified

Two campus safety officers killed while responding to a suspicious person call at a college near Harrisonburg, Virginia, were identified Tuesday afternoon as J.J. Jefferson and John Painter.

Bridgewater College President David Bushman identified the officers in a note sent out to college's community on Tuesday.

"Two members of the Bridgewater College family were senselessly and violently taken from us. The sadness is palpable," Bushman said in the note posted to Facebook. "Words are not adequate, not nearly so, to express the grief, sadness, fear and - justifiably - the anger we all feel."

The well liked officers were close friends know to many as "dynamic duo," according to the note. Jefferson was even Painter's best man at his wedding this year.

"This is a sad and dark day for Bridgewater College," he said in the note. "I know we all have so many questions and not many answers. One thing I do know, though, is that we will rally around one another and support each other as we move forward from this day."

Update (2/1, 8:45 p.m.): This story has been updated to include comment from Virginia State Police.

Suspected shooter Alexander Wyatt Campbell, 27, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon without incident, Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said during a press briefing at the college later that evening.

Geller did not provide details on Campbell's ties to the college (if any), possible motives, weapons he was in possession of or criminal history.

"We're only a couple of hours really into this investigation," she told reporters.

Campbell caught the attention of police after getting calls of a "suspicious" person near Memorial Hall on the college's campus, she said.

After a brief interaction with Jefferson and Painter, Campbell opened fire and shot both officers before fleeing on foot, said Geller. That triggered a large police response from multiple jurisdictions.

A man fitting the description of the shooter was located on Riverside Drive off campus in the town of Bridgewater, said Geller. The suspect waded through the North River to an island that's located within the town limits, she said.

Police found the suspect on the island suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and transported him to Rockingham Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released into custody, she said. Officers who apprehended Campbell did not discharge their weapons, meaning his wound was either self-inflicted or was from the college's police, she said.

"Multiple firearms associated with Campbell have been recovered as evidence," Geller said.

Campbell has been charged with two felony counts of capital murder, one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, said Geller. He's being held at the Rockingham County jail and his last known address is Ashland, Virginia, according to Geller.

Police are asking the public for additional information about Campbell or from anyone who witnessed or made a video of the incident, said Geller. Both the ATF and the FBI are assisting.

"Right now, based on the evidence we have the stage of the investigation, this was an isolated event and only involves Campbell," she said.

Authorities have not identified any other suspects or victims.

Bushman, speaking during the press conference, expressed gratitude for the condolences he's received for his grieving community.

"Our anguish is felt so deeply because the entire Bridgewater College community is a family too," he said. "And that will be our greatest strength in the days and weeks ahead, for students and faculty and staff will grieve together. We'll take care of each other."

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said on Twitter that he had been briefed on the situation at the college and would continue to monitor it with law enforcement.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m. EST, the college tweeted that there were reports of an active shooter on campus and advised those reading to shelter in place. "This is not a test," the college said in a follow-up tweet.

At about 4:20 p.m., police from multiple jurisdictions responded to a report of a shooting on the campus, according to a statement from the college. After the officers were shot, the armed suspect fled the scene, initiating "a massive search operation," according to the statement. The male shooter was taken into custody by 1:55 p.m.

The college issued an all-clear notification at 4:33 p.m. on Twitter.

"I do not know what evil is responsible for this terrible and heartbreaking event," local state Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham), said in a statement. "It is clear that something is wrong in our society when tragedies like this occur. Whether it is hate, drugs, mental illness or some other underlying factor, these are urgent priorities on which we must work together."

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, (D-Va.) said on Twitter that he was "incredibly saddened" to hear about the slain officers and his heart was with "their families and the entire Bridgewater community." Warner also had different ideas than Obenshain about the cause of the incident.

"Gun violence is a tragic epidemic, so we must move forward intending to do more than just offering thoughts and prayers," said Warner.

Located about an hour's drive from Charlottesville, Bridgewater College has about 1,500 full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Last year, Bridgewater was named Virginia's safest college and among the top 25 safest in the U.S., according to an analysis by home security company SafeAtLast based on crime statistics.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.