Police call off search around West Virginia State University, suspect not found

UPDATE (10:38 p.m. on September 24, 2024) — The shelter in place at West Virginia State University has been lifted.

UPDATE (10:09 p.m. on September 24, 2024) — The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said it has ended its search after it was unable to find the fleeing suspect. The suspect’s crashed vehicle has also been towed from the scene.

There is no word on the state of the shelter in place at West Virginia State University.

INSTITUTE, WV (WOWK) — West Virginia State University is under lockdown as police pursue a suspect that fled from their vehicle near the school Tuesday evening.

According to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement initiated a pursuit on a stolen vehicle on Interstate 64 around 7:50 p.m. The fleeing suspect got off the interstate at Dunbar and doubled back to the university where they soon after crashed.

The suspect fled the crashed vehicle and police are currently searching the area.

Police are looking for a white man in a camouflage shirt and blue jeans. He was last seen in the area of Hamblin Hall on the WVSU campus running toward the river.

A spokesperson with WVSU said the school is under a precautionary shelter in place while law enforcement is investigating.

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