A man suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting Saturday evening in Norfolk near Old Dominion University, heightening unease among students already on edge from prior incidents in the area.
Norfolk Police responded around 6 p.m. Feb. 14, 2026, to the 800 block of West 41st Street after reports of gunfire. Officers found a male victim with a serious gunshot wound. He was rushed to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he remained in critical condition as of the latest updates. No arrests have been announced, and the investigation continues with no suspect description released publicly.
The location, just blocks from ODU’s campus and student housing, sparked immediate concern among nearby residents and students. Witnesses described hearing multiple shots before chaos ensued. One ODU student, Madeleine Salazer, told WAVY News the violence felt “unfortunately very common” in parts of Norfolk, though she noted her neighborhood had been relatively quiet until recently.
“I’ve been out here since 2023. It’s been an eventful time,” Salazer said. “Things like this are unfortunately very common in the Norfolk area. Not on this neighborhood, I will say, but if you go two blocks down the street on 42nd, there was a shooting there my freshman year.”
Students interviewed by local media expressed frustration and fear, calling for better community-police relations and university measures to address off-campus risks. The incident follows a pattern of gun violence in Norfolk, including a February 2025 double homicide on ODU property that claimed the lives of two non-students and led to charges against a suspect.