South Carolina State University officials reported that two people were killed and another was wounded in a shooting that occurred at about 9:15 p.m. local time on Thursday in an apartment at the Hugine Suites student residential complex. The institution, a historically Black college in Orangeburg, placed the campus under lockdown while officials responded to the incident.
The university said the shooting happened in a dormitory unit and provided limited details in a statement posted on its Facebook page. Few additional official facts were immediately available, including whether the individual or individuals responsible for the shooting remain at large. "University officials have not yet confirmed the victims’ identities or the condition of the wounded person," the statement said.
University public safety staff were not able to provide further information when contacted late Thursday, with a representative saying they were not at liberty to discuss details of the incident. The university announced it had requested the State Law Enforcement Division to take over the investigation.
Officials also said that classes scheduled for Friday were canceled. South Carolina State has an enrollment of more than 3,000 students and is one of two historically Black universities in Orangeburg, a riverfront college town about 40 miles southeast of Columbia. The other HBCU in the city is Claflin University.
The limited public information from university officials leaves several questions unresolved. At the time of the statement, identities of the deceased had not been confirmed, and the physical condition of the wounded person remained unspecified. It is also unclear from the university's release whether law enforcement had identified any suspects or whether any arrests had been made.
University leadership opted to involve the State Law Enforcement Division to lead the inquiry, reflecting the seriousness of the incident and the need for a broader investigative response. The cancellation of classes for the following day underscores immediate operational impacts on campus life and scheduling.
As the investigation proceeds under state law enforcement authority, the university community and local residents are left awaiting further updates from officials. The institution has so far limited public disclosures to the basic facts of the event and procedural steps taken in response.