Woman shot outside Virginia GOP headquarters in Richmond
Police respond to a shooting outside the Republican Party of Virginia's offices in downtown Richmond on Thursday. Party officials say all staff members are safe and there is no indication the shooting was politically motivated.
A woman was shot directly outside the Republican Party of Virginia's headquarters in Richmond on Thursday afternoon, just days before Election Day, in what police said was an unrelated dispute that left an innocent bystander injured.
The shooting occurred around 1:45 p.m. in front of the Obenshain Center, located in the 100 block of East Grace Street in downtown Richmond, according to local outlet WTVR.
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said the woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Police said the shooting was not connected to the upcoming midterm elections, according to The Associated Press.
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Law enforcement officials stand near The Obenshain Center after a woman was shot in front of the building, Thursday, in Richmond, Va. (Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via Getty Images)
Edwards said a woman inside a hair salon across the street told investigators that a man with whom she had an ongoing dispute entered the business, prompting her to fire shots in self-defense. A woman who was walking near the salon was struck by the gunfire, according to police.
The woman who allegedly fired the shots is in custody, police said.
Police said they believe the man who entered the salon may also have been shot, based on blood found at the scene. Edwards urged him to turn himself in to receive medical attention and speak with detectives.
In a post on X, the Virginia GOP said Richmond first responders arrived within minutes and confirmed that all party staff members were safe.
A map shows the location of a shooting outside the Republican Party headquarters in Virginia. Authorities have not confirmed whether the shooting was politically motivated.
"Around 1:45 p.m. today, a woman was shot immediately in front of The Obenshain Center, the offices of the Republican Party of Virginia. City of Richmond first responders were at the scene within minutes. All Republican Party of Virginia staff are safe," the post read.
The party also said it had no indication that the shooting was connected to its operations.
"The proximity of this event notwithstanding, we have no indication that the shooting was related to the operations of the Republican Party of Virginia," the X post continued.
The Obenshain Center, where Virginia's Republican Party is headquartered, in Richmond, on Thursday, where a shooting occurred outside. (Sarah Rakin/AP Photo)
The shooting comes less than a week before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, as voters prepare to head to the polls in Virginia and across the country.
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The circumstances surrounding the dispute and whether the man was injured remain under investigation.
The Richmond Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
