Three Virginia Football Players Allegedly Shot And Killed By Ex-Player
On Nov. 13, 2022, a former University of Virginia football player opened fire on a bus of students returning from a field trip, killing three UVA football players and injuring two other students.
Steve Helber via AP
Tragedy struck the University of Virginia campus at around 10:16 p.m. on the night of Nov. 13, 2022. Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr., a 22-year-old UVA student and former football player, allegedly went on a murderous rampage when a bus returning from a field trip arrived at the Culbreth Garage parking deck at the university, according to CBS Sports.
Jones allegedly opened fire and killed three students and injured two others. Jim Ryan, the president of the University of Virginia, announced that three Cavaliers football players were murdered: junior receiver Devin Chandler, junior receiver Lavel Davis, Jr., and junior defensive end/linebacker D'Sean Perry.
Running back Michael Hollins, Jr. was shot in the back and rushed to the hospital. He is now “doing well” after a second surgery, according to Sports Illustrated reporter Ross Dellenger. A fifth unidentified victim was taken to the hospital after being injured in the shooting.
Two 21-year-old students witnessed part of the shooting. They first heard faint popping noises shortly after 10 p.m. and weren’t initially alarmed. However, then the bus doors opened after the bus stopped and the emergency lights went on. People started running out of the bus, with one person falling to the ground, according to what the students told CNN.
The witnesses saw two individuals fleeing the bus, and one ran away whose description matched what the suspect was seen wearing around the time of the shooting.
Jones initially fled the scene, but police were able to arrest him in Henrico County, Virginia, without incident just before 11 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2022. He was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, reported ESPN.
Jones had previously been a running back with the UVA football team in 2018 but was not a member of the team at the time of the shooting. He had previously worried campus authorities back in September when another student notified the Office of Student Affairs that Jones had spoken about owning a gun. However, no gun was found at the time, and no students reported actually seeing him with a gun.
University Police Chief Timothy Longo said in a press conference on Nov. 14 that Jones had previously come to their attention as part of a hazing claim. Jones had also been charged with a concealed-weapon violation that he never reported to the university.
The police did not speculate on a motive because it is still under investigation. Also, according to The Washington Post, the relationship between Jones and the victims is unclear.
“We need to comfort and support each other and those closest to the victims of this horrendous shooting,” UVA president Ryan said. “Please know we will do everything we can to honor their lives, and we’ll come together soon as a community to mourn these losses.”
