3 killed in U. of Alabama shooting

Three people were killed and several more injured in a shooting Friday in a science building at the University of Alabama's Huntsville campus, university officials said.

A woman was in custody, but university spokesman Ray Garner said he could not identify her or the victims. Local television stations reported she is a faculty member.

Trent Willis, chief of staff for Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, said several other people had been shot in addition to the four Garner reported, but he did not have an exact number or their conditions.

Huntsville Hospital spokesman Burr Ingram said the hospital was treating three victims. Two were in critical condition and one was in stable condition. It was not clear if the three included the one injured person university officials announced.

Sophomore Erin Johnson told The Huntsville Times a biology faculty meeting was under way when she heard screams coming from the room.

The shooting happened in the university's Shelby Center, a science building. University police secured the building and students were cleared from it. The Huntsville campus has about 7,500 students in northern Alabama, not far from the Tennessee state line.

The university posted a message on its website Friday afternoon telling students the campus was closed Friday night and all students were encouraged to go home. Counselors were available to speak with students.