At least two people have been confirmed dead after shots were fired at Virginia Tech on Thursday afternoon.

According to the school's media relations office, a Virginia Tech police officer was shot and has succumbed to his injuries. The other victim is unidentified.

A spokesperson has told the IBTimes that the suspect was stopped during a routine traffic stop this afternoon at the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall. The police officer was shot on scene. Witnesses reported seeing a white male in sweats and carrying backpack, who they said fled on foot.

Police later found a second victim shot and killed.

Dana Cruikshank, communications manager for the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, said the incident happened shortly after noon today.

Several agencies are now involved in the investigation and the school has asked Virginia state police to take the lead.

Thursday's incident led the Blacksburg Transit to suspended service after the Virginia Tech officer was shot.

The Collegiate Times tweeted that one person surrendered with his hands up outside the Performance Arts Building at Virginia Tech and that the person is not yet under arrest. The paper also reported that the police emptied the Performance Arts building.

Thirty-two people were killed at Virginia Tech in 2007, after a gunman went on a shooting rampage at the campus.

Virginia Tech has released the following statement:

BLACKSBURG, Va., Dec. 8, 2011 - Shortly after noon today, a Virginia Tech police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall.

During the traffic stop. the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting.

Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased.

Several law enforcement agencies have responded to assist. Virginia State Police has been requested to take lead in the investigation

The status of the shooter is unknown. The campus community should continue to shelter in place and visitors should not come to campus.

Julia Greenberg, Jason Van Hoven and Melanie Jones contributed to this article.