Savannah State University spokesman Loretta Heyward said students had been alerted to stay where they were after the shooting that happened between 11am (12am Singapore time) and noon (2am Singapore time) at the state's oldest historically black college, founded in 1890.

Campus officials don't have a motive or know whether the shooter was a student.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said the wounded student, whose name has not been released, was in surgery.

Mr Bankhead said school officials have asked the bureau to investigate and that both the suspect and the student are from the Atlanta area.

The campus of about 3,400 students was locked down immediately after the shooting. Cars were allowed to leave the school but were not being allowed onto the campus in Savannah along Georgia's coast.

About 2,000 students live on campus. -- AP