State Watch

Suspect arrested in deadly hookah lounge shooting near Virginia Tech

A man suspected of being involved in the fatal hookah lounge shooting near Virginia Tech’s campus was arrested and taken into custody on Saturday after an incident that left one person dead and four injured, police said in a statement.

Jamel D. Flint, 24, of Roanoke, Va., was arrested without incident and currently faces charges of first-degree murder after the shooting killed 18-year-old high school student Isiah O. Robinson of Roanoke, according to a statement from the Blacksburg police. Flint also faces four additional charges of attempted first-degree murder and a firearm charge. 

It is unclear what led to Flint’s arrest or if he has an attorney. 

Flint’s arrest comes after police responded just before midnight on Friday to reports of shots being fired at Melody Hookah Lounge in Blacksburg, Va. Five people were shot, leaving one dead and four others wounded. 

Virginia Tech issued a “secure in place” order around midnight and later lifted it around 3:15 a.m. 

“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the deceased and we extend our support to those who were injured,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said wrote in a statement. “Events like this are difficult and unsettling to all of us. Please care for yourself and seek assistance if you need it.”

A school official later noted that that the family of a male student who was wounded said he was out of surgery and was recovering. Officials did not release the name of the student wounded.

Virginia Tech was the site of one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings in April 2007. A senior at the university killed 32 people and injured 17 others before taking his own life.