A college student from South Jersey was fatally shot before dawn Friday outside of campus housing at West Virginia University.

University police said sophomore Eric James Smith, 21, of Clementon, was found in a hallway outside one of the university-run College Park apartment buildings after a report of a shooting about 4 a.m. Smith lived in the housing.

Terrell Linear, 21, was charged with first-degree murder and Shaundarius T. Reeder 20, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

Neither of the suspects are students at the university. Authorities did not say whether they knew of a motive but said that the shooting was an isolated incident.

Police said the two were arrested at a shopping center and a weapon was recovered during the bust.

Smith was pursuing a degree in multidisciplinary studies.

“It’s always a tragedy when a young person loses his life,” Dean of Students Corey Farris said in a written statement. "Our hearts go out to his family, those students and others who knew him. Our main priority right now is offering support to our campus community."

College Park and the university's main campus, with an enrollment of nearly 27,000 students, are in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia.

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-359-5348 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.

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