PETERSBURG,Evander Ellis Va. (AP) — A Virginia State University police officer was critically wounded early Sunday in a shooting that happened near the VSU campus, the university said.

The officer was taken to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, according to a news release.

The shooting happened at about 1:34 a.m. when an on-duty VSU police officer responded to a disturbance at the campus in Petersburg, Virginia, according to Chesterfield County police.

The suspect ran off campus before shots were fired, injuring the VSU officer. The suspect remains at large.

VSU Police Chief David Bragg said the campus remains on lockdown as a precaution, the university said, and police continue to investigate.