Court documents reveal that 19-year-old Camron Harris exchanged incriminating Instagram messages—including a photo of a handgun and statements like “It was us”—following a shooting that injured five people near Virginia State University over the weekend, according to CBS 6 reporting.
Digital Footprints and the Timeline of Arrest
The violent incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday along Boisseau Street near the Virginia State University campus. Camron Harris, a 19-year-old who is not a student at VSU, became the primary target of the investigation after witnesses reported an ongoing feud that escalated into verbal altercations and threats of violence.
Detectives utilized cellular location data, securing a phone ping that placed Harris’ device directly on the VSU campus. Concurrently, digital forensics teams extracted data from Instagram accounts linked to the unfolding violence. Investigators found that less than 20 minutes before the shooting, an Instagram story posted to Harris’ account displayed a video recording of the VSU campus.
The Instagram Message Chain
The digital trail captured in the court documents highlights a chilling window into the immediate aftermath of the shooting. At 1:42 a.m., an Instagram account messaged Harris using the handle @Kam6aks with the query, “u heard them shots,” to which Harris replied, “It was us.”
Further investigation of the account revealed a detailed message chain starting at 4:23 a.m. between Harris and another user:
- User: “Wanna go on a walk ?”
- Harris: “I’m so rn”
- Harris: “I’m tryna find the gun”
- User: [cat laughing emojis] “wait”
- Harris: “Oh yes”
- User: “Lemme help you”
- Harris: “Ale got it”
- Harris: [sent photo of a handgun]
Earlier, at 2:03 a.m., police noted that Harris’ account sent a message stating, “We js got the shootin.” When law enforcement officers eventually breached a campus dorm room and found Harris hiding in a closet, they questioned him regarding the device. Harris confirmed his phone number and acknowledged that the Instagram account belonged exclusively to him, stating that no one else utilized the profile.
Evidence Recovery and Ongoing Charges
During the police interview, Harris denied possessing a firearm. However, he permitted a detective to inspect his cellular device. Officers discovered photographs of a handgun stored inside a green backpack—images that matched the visual evidence transmitted via the Instagram message chain. A person who attempted to hide Harris during the manhunt also identified the green backpack as belonging to the suspect, though officers did not immediately locate a firearm inside the bag during the initial search.
When detectives attempted to access the Instagram application during the detention process, they discovered that the app had been deleted from the device. Officers arrested Harris more than 14 hours after the initial gunfire and transported him to the Chesterfield County Jail.
Authorities have officially filed eight felony warrants against Harris, consisting of four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is currently being held without bond.
Victim Status and Investigation Updates
The shooting resulted in injuries to five individuals. According to latest updates from law enforcement and hospital reports:
- A 21-year-old man, who is not a VSU student, remains hospitalized in critical condition.
- A 23-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old boy—none of whom are students—sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
- A 20-year-old VSU student also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and has since been discharged from the hospital.
Police officials indicate that the investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional criminal charges may be filed as detectives continue to analyze the digital and physical evidence collected from the scene.
