Gunman shot dead at Virginia university after injuring two

March 12 (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire on Thursday morning at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, injuring two people before being shot dead, according to the university.

The university said the two injured people were transported to a hospital, where a local newspaper reported they were in critical condition. The hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

In a posting on its website, the university said there was no longer a threat but urged the public to avoid the scene of the shooting where emergency personnel continued to work. Classes and campus operations were canceled for the rest of the day.

The university's initial alert said that the gunman opened fire shortly before 10:49 a.m. in Constant Hall, the center of the university's college of business.

By midday, police vehicles with flashing lights had blocked off streets around the Norfolk campus. The university, founded in 1930, serves some 24,000 students, according to the school's website.

University President Brian Hemphill said in a statement to the school community that Old Dominion had "faced a tragedy" and thanked police and emergency responders for swift intervention.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger wrote on Facebook that she had spoken with university leadership and was mobilizing state support to assist with the situation.