Summary Statement

On February 1, 2022, a gunman shot and killed a Bridgewater College Police Officer and a Safety Officer on the campus of Bridgewater College in Virginia.  The university was placed on lockdown and searched before the suspect was apprehended without further incident. 
 

Attack Overview

According to Virginia State Police spokesperson Corinne Geller, the incident began at approximately 1:20 p.m. Tuesday when a Bridgewater College Police Officer and a Bridgewater College Campus Safety Officer responded to a call for a suspicious adult male located on the grounds of Memorial Hall.  Open source reporting indicates that Campbell was found squatting on campus. College employees made the call to campus police after noticing the man in an area off limits.   After a brief interaction with the man, the subject opened fire and shot both officers. The man then fled on foot.
 

Immediately following a 911 call, multiple law enforcement departments responded to the scene. The campus issued a lockdown order while search efforts were conducted across the campus.  
 

A man fitting the shooter's description was located on Riverside Drive in the town of Bridgewater. He then waded through the river and onto an island in the North River, which is located in the town of Bridgewater. Harrisonburg Police, Rockingham County Sheriff's Deputies and Virginia State Police Special Agents took the individual into custody without further incident. 
 

Suspect
 

The gunman was identified as Alexander Wyatt Campbell, 27 of Ashland, Virginia.   
 

When arrested, Campbell was suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to Sentara RMH Medical Center, where he was treated and released into custody.  The investigation continues into determining if Campbell was shot by Officer Painter or suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
 

Multiple firearms associated with Campbell were recovered as evidence. 

According to the Virginia State Police, he is charged with the following charges:

1. 1 felony count of aggravated murder of a police officer (Code of VA 18.2-31)

2. 1 felony count of first degree murder (Code of VA 18.2-32)

3. 1 felony count of aggravated murder of multiple persons within 3 years (Code of VA 18.2-31)

4. 1 felony count of aggravated murder of multiple persons (Code of VA 18.2-31)

5. 1 felony count of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony (Code of VA 18.2-53.1)

Campbell is being held at the Rockingham County Jail without bond.   

Bridgewater College Communications Coordinator Logan Bogert stated Campbell was a previous student who attended the school from 2013 to 2017 and was a member of the track and cross-country teams.
 

Victims  

The two victims have been identified as Campus Police Officer John Painter and Campus Safety Officer J.J. Jefferson. 
 

Jefferson previously worked at Shenandoah University and Painter was the chief of the Grottoes Police Department before retiring in 2018.  According to the school, the two men were good friends, with Painter even serving as Jefferson's best man at his wedding. 
 

J.J. Jefferson      |       John Painter

Additional Details

The investigation remains underway by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Culpeper Field Office.  The FBI and ATF are assisting with the ongoing criminal investigation. 

State Police officials have said they have no additional details related to motive, circumstances of the interaction between Campbell and the officers, or any evidence collected.  Furthermore, they are encouraging anyone with video/images or information related to this shooting, to please share with investigators at vsphtcs@vsp.virginia.gov. 
 

Bridgewater College is a private liberal arts college located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) northwest of Richmond. Historically affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, the school had an enrollment of about 1,500 full-time students in the fall of 2021, according to its website. 

Threat Assessment/Aftermath

The Virginia Fusion Center has recently seen an increase in bomb threats and other expressed violence directed toward colleges and universities.  While these threats seem to be directed at historical black colleges, an elevated posture of awareness is prudent for all educational institutions.  
 

According to the FBI Active Shooter Incidents 20-Year Review - 2000-2019, Sixty-two incidents occurred in public and private educational settings, defined as schools covering pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, institutes of higher education, and school board meetings.