CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Bridgewater College student Giovanni Ardalan recalled the terrifying moment he heard gunfire erupt on his campus Tuesday afternoon.
“The first thing I heard was a single gunshot and we couldn’t tell if it was a gunshot … because why would a gunshot be shot off in Bridgewater?” Ardalan said during his appearance Tuesday on “NewsNation Prime.”
Ardalan was in class at the time of the shooting. He said shortly after that one shot, he heard others.
“And then we heard four consecutive gunshots after that. And that’s when we knew it was definitely, you know, shooting going on.”
Ardalan said he and other students in his classroom decided to take cover.
“So we all hit the ground and hid under the desks. And then we heard, the officer, I believe, moaning in pain. And then me and a couple of fellow students peaked our heads out the window to see what was going on … and that’s when we saw the two officers on the ground.”
The college went into a lockdown Tuesday afternoon after there were reports of an active shooter on campus. Virginia State Police say the two campus officers, who were identified as John Painter, a campus police officer, and J.J. Jefferson, a campus safety officer, responded to reports of a suspicious man on campus around 1:20 pm. Police said after a brief interaction with the shooter, the man opened fire on the officers, shot them and fled on foot. The two officers succumbed to their wounds on the scene.
Police have arrested Alexander Wyatt Campbell, 27, as the suspect in the shooting. He’s been charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of first-degree murder, as well as a weapons charge, police announced at a news conference. No motive was given.
Ardalan said Painter and Jefferson were the type of officers you see in movies: well-liked, well respected and just good people.
“I know, a couple of people on the cadet program that, you know, studied under them and learned under them on how to be a good officer and they were definitely the role models you would want to have.”
In an email sent to the students and faculty, David Bushman, the president of the college, said Painter and Jefferson were often referred to as a “dynamic duo.” The statement also said that Jefferson was Painter’s best man at his wedding.
A vigil was held on campus Tuesday night in honor of the two officers. Ardalan said the college is playing an active role in helping and supporting students during this time of need.
“We are all (just) standing by each other, and just reaching out to friends to support each other. It’s a very, you know, tight-knit community here and I’m glad to have that support behind us.”
Ardalan said Painter and Jefferson were two of the nicest people on campus. He commended them for their actions.
“They need to be respected, just looked at as true heroes because I believe personally, I was in the building right outside of where they were shot and it very likely could have been me going down. And because of them, it wasn’t.”
Bridgewater College is a private liberal arts college about 125 miles northwest of Richmond.