IOWA CITY — At least three University of Iowa students were injured in a shooting near the school's Pedestrian Mall in downtown Iowa City early Sunday morning. The Iowa City Police Department responded to the 100 block of East College Street at approximately 1:46 a.m. after receiving a report of a large fight, and officers arriving on the scene heard gunfire.

First responders reported at least four people with gunshot wounds, according to scanner traffic recordings. Multiple victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment. A University of Iowa Health Care spokesperson confirmed that the center received patients from the incident and was evaluating the severity of their injuries. The number of victims and the severity of their injuries was not immediately known.

University officials issued a campus alert warning of gunshots near the intersection of East College Street and Clinton Street. The alert read: "Situation Update: First responders on scene. Confirmed victims. Please continue to avoid the area."

Video circulating online appeared to show a confrontation ahead of the shooting involving a large group of people, with several individuals seen punching and kicking others as bystanders urged them to stop. Additional footage captured dozens of people throwing haymakers at each other, and separate clips showed a large crowd fleeing the scene as gunshots rang out. The Pedestrian Mall is located a mile east of the University of Iowa campus, across the Iowa River.

University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson addressed the campus community following the shooting. "While we await additional information, I am thinking about these students and their families, friends, and all the people who care about them," Wilson said. "I am holding them close in my thoughts, along with everyone in our community who is hurting or feeling shaken right now," she added.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds offered all of the state's resources to assist in the investigation. "This senseless act of violence has devastated the university community and our state," Reynolds said.

No arrests have been made. The Iowa City Police Department launched an investigation and asked witnesses to provide accounts and any security camera footage. Iowa City Area Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to contact the department.