A suspect has been arrested in the shooting of a Virginia State University police officer

By Sara Smart, CNN

(CNN) — The suspect accused of critically wounding a Virginia State University police officer in a shooting that forced a campus lockdown has been caught, authorities have announced.

Deonta M. Blount, 21, of Chester, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer and use of a firearm during that crime, according to Virginia State officials and court records. Blount was held without bond in the Chesterfield County Jail, the officials said, and his arraignment Wednesday was continued to next month, according to the records, which lists no attorney for him.

Officer Bruce Foster had responded just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday to a disturbance on the campus of the historically Black university about 25 miles south of Richmond, school officials said.

“The suspect ran off campus before shots were fired, injuring the VSU officer,” school officials said in a news release, citing Chesterfield County Police. Still, the campus was locked down as a precaution, they said.

Gunfire has killed at least 41 US law enforcement officers this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. And shootings have erupted this year on 24 American college campuses as the nation’s scourge of gun violence shows no hint of ending.

Foster on Monday was in stable condition, Virginia State President Makola Abdullah said. The investigation into his shooting continues, with support from Virginia State Police and the FBI, Richmond Division, authorities said.

Virginia State, meanwhile, stands “united and Trojan Strong,” its president said.

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