Three people were shot in a dispute on a Houston-area college campus Tuesday that sent students running for cover and forced a school-wide lock down.
Two individuals—one carrying a student ID—were involved in an altercation in a courtyard on the campus of Lone Star College, which left both of them, as well as an innocent bystander, with gunshot wounds, Maj. Armando Tello, acting Sheriff of Harris County said at an afternoon press conference.
Both individuals, described as persons of interest, are hospitalized, as is a maintenance man believed to be in his mid-50s, who was caught in the crossfire and suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, Tello said. Another person was also hospitalized with "a medical condition," which appeared to be triggered by the event.
No arrests have been been made.
The Sheriff's account supports witness testimony that described an argument between two men in the college's library. Witnesses said both pulled out guns and began firing on each other, NBC affiliate KPRC Local 2 reported. Several law enforcement officials said the incident may have been gang-related, NBC News reported.
The shooting on the North Harris campus began shortly after noon. The college tweeted that three people had been shot, and a law enforcement official told NBC News that another may have suffered a heart attack. A local hospital said it had received two patients, while another local hospital said it had received two others. Neither hospital released the condition of the victims.
The campus was declared safe at about 4 p.m. local time and Dr. Richard Carpenter a Lone Star spokesman said that the campus would reopen tomorrow. Earlier students had been advised to shelter in place. Four nearby schools were also placed on lock-down.
Carpenter added that Lone Star is a "gun free campus" but that students entering school property are not searched.
According to its website, the Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher learning in Houston and the fastest growing community college system in Texas. The school has approximately 90,000 students spread over more than a dozen campuses.