The Radford Department of Police have made an arrest in connection with Thursday’s shooting incident that resulted in the death of a Christiansburg man. 42-year-old Radford resident and Radford University employee Phillip Eugene Beale Sr. has been charged with second degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Beale is accused of fatally shooting 33-year-old Floyd Wilfred-Linn Wright Jr. following an alleged altercation outside the 500 block of Calhoun St. just after 9 p.m. Thursday.

The suspect was taken into custody without incident early Saturday. He is currently being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail without bond.

The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. No further details are expected to be released. Police continue to urge anyone with information to please call the Crime Tip Line at 731-3627.

At 12:06 p.m. on Saturday, RU President Penelope Kyle offered her first public remarks about the shooting that had occurred 39 hours earlier. Kyle, in an e-mail letter to the RU community, expressed pride and appreciation for a “professional response” to the events of Thursday night and Friday morning.

“The frightening incident that led to the security measures put into effect could have caused chaos for our community,” Kyle said. “But the calm, collected reaction of everyone involved ensured that the situation was brought to a quick and safe resolution.

Kyle went on to thank several people involved in the night’s events. She did not mention that Beale, the alleged shooter, was an RU employee.

Below is an account of the original incident and updates through the night and into the next morning.

At about 9 p.m. on Thursday, a shooting occurred a couple blocks from the Radford University campus. One person, who later died, was shot several times in the chest and abdomen. University spokesperson Michael Hemphill said the victim had not been identified nor did he know whether or not it was a Radford University student.

A campus alert at 11:34 p.m. stated: “RUPD and Radford City Police have established checkpoints and a command center. No further sightings of the suspect at this time. Building searches are ongoing. Stay in your room and keep the doors locked. Further updates to come.”

The suspect, according to city officials, is a young black male, tall and slim, who was wearing a camo jacket and had on no shirt. Hemphill said the shooter was seen running toward campus, but there has been no confirmation as to whether the shooter ever was actually on campus.

Police are advising the RU and Radford City communities to stay inside with doors locked as the shooter is considered armed and dangerous.

Update 1 a.m. Friday: Radford junior Derek Davis, who lives at the intersection of Madison and Clement said that police and what looked like a S.W.A.T. team raided a neighbor’s house on Clement less than a block from the RU campus. Davis said perhaps 15 officers were on the scene and added that they went into the house, pulled people out, and appeared to be questioning them. “It was pretty intense,” Davis said. “The people they brought out were yelling and screaming and stuff.”

At nearly 1 a.m. Davis said there was still a heavy police presence on his block of Clement.

Update 1:40 a.m. Friday: University spokesperson Michael Hemphill said that no decision had been made regarding classes at RU on Friday. Hemphill said that if the shooting suspect was not found, RU officials would meet probably around 5 a.m. to discuss options.

Hemphill said that police were not yet releasing an identification on the shooting victim but said, “At this time we do not believe that the victim was a Radford University student.”

Update 2:10 a.m. Friday: In an alert sent by Radford University — “Members of various area police units are searching and clearing campus buildings. No further sightings of the suspect have been reported on campus. Remain in your room with the door locked until further notice. Updates will continue periodically. Also check the RU homepage, radford.edu for information.”

Update 3:15 a.m. Friday: In an alert sent by Radford University — “In consultation with Radford City Police Department, the RUPD has determined the campus is safe and secure and has lifted the Shelter in Place Order effective immediately. Radford University operations will return to normal schedule. It appears the off-campus incident was not a random act of violence.”

Radford Police Chief Don Goodman added that the identity of the victim will be released pending notification of next of kin and that it appears that the incident stemmed from an altercation between the victim and the assailant.

Update 9:15 a.m. Friday: The update at this point is that there is no update. Police are continuing to work the case. The victim is yet to be identified. A suspect has not been identified or taken into custody.

Update 9:40 a.m. Friday: RU sent the following e-mail regarding counseling available: “The Student Counseling Services is available today to talk with any student about the events of last night. Counseling Services will have extra staff available until noon and will be open until 5:00 p.m. Student Counseling is located in the basement of Tyler Hall, or phone 831-5226. ”

Update 1:30 p.m. Friday: The victim of Thursday night’s shooting in Radford has been identified as Floyd Wilfred-Linn Wright Jr., 33, of Christiansburg. Police said that Wright was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Carilion New River Valley Medical Center. The assailant apparently had some sort of argument with the victim and fled after the shooting. The assailant is still at large.