Alabama A&M student injured after shootout with campus police

A student at Alabama A&M University was injured in a shootout with a campus police officer in a dorm stairwell on Monday, authorities said.

The shooting happened in the stairwell of a campus residence hall during a routine security check and was "contained within minutes," according to the university and state law enforcement.

"Earlier today, there was an officer-involved shooting at the Knight Complex on campus resulting in one injury," the university said. "Authorities have contained any immediate threats as the investigation continues."

Alabama A&M Police Chief Montrez Payton told WAFF-TV that the officer was patrolling the fifth floor of the complex when he heard gunshots coming from a floor below. 

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The officer and student exchanged multiple shots in the stairwell, and the student was struck multiple times, Payton said. The student was hospitalized while the campus police officer was uninjured.

State and campus authorities did not release any additional information about the shooting or about the student or campus police officer.

Students were just returning to the Huntsville campus from spring break when the shooting occurred.

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"It surprised me," one student told the local station. "I was like we just got back from spring break and they already doing this. They shouldn’t be bringing this on campus."

The incident marks the second shooting at the Knight Complex in just seven months. 

The previous shooting in August injured two people who had gotten into a fight, police said at the time. Both suspects involved in that shooting were arrested, and police called the incident an isolated occurrence.

The campus of about 6,000 students is in north Alabama.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.