On the night of November 13, 2022, a
mass shooting
There is a lack of consensus on how to define a mass shooting. Most terms define a minimum of three or four victims of gun violence (not including the shooter or in an inner city) in a short period of time, although an Australian study from 200 ...
took place at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
(UVA) in
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
, in which three people were killed and two others were injured.
Four of the victims, including the three who died, were members of the
UVA football team. The suspect, 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., was later taken into custody and charged with three counts of
second-degree murder, as well as three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a
felony
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
.
Shooting
The suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., allegedly opened fire while on a chartered bus that had returned from a
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
(UVA) class trip to Washington, D.C., to see a play about
Emmett Till
Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African American boy who was abducted, tortured, and lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery ...
on November 13, 2022. While Jones was not a part of the class on African American playwrights, which included five UVA football players, he had been invited to join the trip as he was taking a social justice class taught by the same professor. On the way back Jones rode in the back of the bus and did not engage in most of the discussion with others.
The first shots were heard at approximately 10:15 p.m. (EST)
at a parking garage near the UVA drama building. All those involved in the shooting were on the bus.
Some survivors said that they heard Jones yell, "You guys are always messing with me" before he opened fire.
A survivor said that the shooting began as they were pulling up to the parking garage, and at first she thought it was a balloon or bag of chips popping, before she smelled smoke and gunpowder and dropped to the floor of the bus. During a lull in the shooting she saw Jones move down the aisle of the bus before leaving the bus, and the gunfire began again. Even during calls to evacuate the bus, some students attempted to give first aid and CPR to victims, before their professor evacuated them into the drama building, where several hid in a bathroom and called 911.
Witnesses reported that the shooting appeared to be targeted, with Jones shooting one of the deceased victims who was asleep.
The mother of one of the wounded told reporters that her son had reportedly evacuated from the bus with two students, but was wounded after returning to attempt to help his friends after realizing that no one else had evacuated.
At around 10:30 pm Virginia Cavaliers head football coach
Tony Elliot was called by an uninjured football player on the bus and notified of what happened, along with UVA police department support services bureau captain Mike Blakey, and both responded to the scene at the same time. Elliot and Blakey were quickly sent to the hospital before reaching the crime scene. As both of the injured were members of UVA sports teams, multiple other coaches and athletics administrators joined the two men at the hospital.
A
shelter in place warning was issued on Sunday night and was carried out until 10:33 a.m. Monday. While sheltering, students were sent the words "Run. Hide. Fight." through a cell phone alert system. The shelter in place was active for approximately 12 hours during a manhunt for the suspect.
Multiple
law enforcement agencies
A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.
Jurisdiction
LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction.
LEAs ...
worked together during the manhunt.
Jones was spotted by a local officer who was on the lookout for a car matching that of the suspect. Jones was taken into custody at 11:24 a.m. on November 14 in
Henrico County
Henrico County , officially the County of Henrico, is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 334,389 making it the fifth-most populous county in Virginia. Henrico County is incl ...
.
Victims
The deceased victims are Devin Chandler, a junior from
Huntersville, North Carolina
Huntersville is a large suburban town in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. A part of the Charlotte metropolitan area, the population was 61,376 at the 2020 census, making Huntersville the 15th largest municipality in North Caroli ...
; D'Sean Perry, a junior from Miami, Florida; and Lavel Davis Jr., a junior from
Dorchester, South Carolina
Dorchester was a town in the Province of South Carolina. Situated on the Ashley River about from Charleston, it was founded in February 1696 by followers of Reverend Joseph Lord from Dorchester, Massachusetts.
They named it after their home ...
,
all members of the UVA football team.
Two other UVA students were wounded and hospitalized in moderate condition, including another football player for the university.
Aftermath
Classes for UVA students were canceled on Monday and Tuesday, with students returning to class on Wednesday but all work was non-graded for the rest of the week. Classes were also canceled for students in Charlottesville City Public Schools
Charlottesville City Schools, also known as Charlottesville City Public Schools, is the school division that administers public education in the United States city of Charlottesville, Virginia. The current superintendent is Dr. Royal A. Gurley, Jr ...
and Albemarle County Public Schools
Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) is a school district serving Albemarle County, Virginia. Its headquarters are in the City of Charlottesville. ACPS serves approximately 14,000 students in preschool through grade 12 in Albemarle County, Vi ...
. A hotline was set up by the university for families and students, for any potential questions and information about the shooting. A vigil for the victims was held the day after the shooting, with candles placed around the Statue of Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
on campus with signs depicting the phrase "UVA Strong" and the uniform numbers of the deceased players; "1-15-41". A joint memorial service was held for the three deceased victims on November 19, with just over 9,000 people in attendance to celebrate the life of the victims. Celebrities attended and performed in the service, such as Bronco Mendenhall
Marc Bronco Clay Mendenhall (born February 21, 1966) is an American football coach who most recently coached at The University of Virginia. He stepped down after the 2021 season. Mendenhall joined Virginia in 2015 after spending the previous elev ...
, ACC
ACC most often refers to:
* Atlantic Coast Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference located in the US
*American College of Cardiology, A US-based nonprofit medical association that bestows credentials upon cardiovascular spec ...
Commissioner Jim Phillips, past Cavalier players including Chris Long
Christopher Howard Long (born March 28, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and older brother of NFL guard Kyle Long ...
and Heath Miller
Earl Heath Miller Jr. (born October 22, 1982) is a former American football tight end who played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015. Miller played college football fo ...
, and gospel singer CeCe Winans
Priscilla Marie Winans Love, known professionally as CeCe Winans, (born October 8, 1964) is an American gospel singer. She rose to prominence as a member of the duo BeBe & CeCe Winans; before launching an acclaimed solo career. Winans has been a ...
. Before the service Elliot and the football team held a senior day
Senior day or senior night (depending on the time the game is held) is a term used in high school sports and college sports, most notably football and basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five player ...
to honor the victims and thirty-three additional senior players.
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team is the college basketball, intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Virginia. The school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference in NCAA Division I, Division I of the N ...
game scheduled for November 14 against Northern Iowa
Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...
was later canceled due to the shooting. The home season finale of the Cavaliers football team
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...
against Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina University (CCU or Coastal) is a public university in Conway, South Carolina. Founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College, and later joining the University of South Carolina System as USC Coastal Carolina, it became an in ...
scheduled for November 19 and the regular season finale against Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
scheduled for November 26 were also canceled.
Accused
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., aged 22, was identified as the alleged perpetrator. Born in Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines Petersburg (along with the city of Colonial Heights) with Din ...
, he attended eighth grade at John Rolfe Middle School. He spent his first three years of high school at Varina High School
Varina High School is located in eastern Henrico County, Virginia. It is one of nine high schools in Henrico County Public Schools and was founded in 1909, with the current campus opening in 1963. The school's mascot is the Blue Devil, branded aft ...
(where he played for the football team and was honorable mention all-conference as a freshman and second-team as a sophomore and junior) in Varina, Henrico County
Henrico County , officially the County of Henrico, is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 334,389 making it the fifth-most populous county in Virginia. Henrico County is incl ...
, Virginia. He then attended Petersburg High School for his senior year (where he was an honorable mention all-conference as a senior).
During his high school years he was named Student of the Year twice, and was a member of the National Honor Society
The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in high schools. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achi ...
and National Technical Honor Society The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is an honor society for outstanding career and technical students of workforce vocational education institutions in the United States.
Overview
NTHS began in 1984 as the National Vocational-Technical Hono ...
, president of the Key Club
Key Club International, also called Key Club, is an international service organization for high school students. As a student-led organization, Key Club's goal is to encourage leadership through serving others. Key Club International is the hig ...
, and president of the Jobs for Virginia Grads Program.
Jones is a former walk-on
Walk On may refer to:
Music
* ''Walk On'', a 1994 album by Boston, and its title song
Albums
* ''Walk On'' (Boston album), 1994
* ''Walk On'' (John Hiatt album), 1995
* ''Walk On'' (Randy Johnston album), 1992
*''Walk On'', a 2007 album by ...
UVA football player. He was a member of the team for one season as a freshman in 2018, but did not play any games.
He had been investigated with regard to alleged on-campus hazing
Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, ...
in the past. Relatives of Jones said that he had been hazed while at UVA, and a source who knows Jones said that he had “been bullied” at UVA, “and it was bad.” That investigation was ended because witnesses would not cooperate.
Jones was under investigation in September 2022 over concerns that he owned a gun, after someone who does not attend or work for the university reported that Jones had made a comment about having a gun, though the person had never seen it. The UVA Office of Student Affairs reported the concerns to the multidisciplinary threat assessment team, and investigators had reached out to Jones. School officials also reached out to his roommate who stated they had never seen the weapon. Investigators had also learned of an incident involving a concealed weapon
Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pre ...
violation outside Charlottesville in February 2021.
Legal proceedings
Jones was arrested and charged with three counts of second degree murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony
A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
. State and federal prosecutors pledged support to the local law enforcement community in terms of investigating the incident and trying the suspect in the appropriate jurisdiction. Two days after the shooting, prosecutors additionally charged Jones with two counts of malicious wounding, each accompanied by the use of a firearm. Jones was denied bond during his first court appearance.
Responses
University of Virginia President Jim Ryan sent an email to students shortly after news of the shooting broke, stating he was heartbroken to report the shooting and deaths. University of Virginia head coach Tony Elliott issued a statement about 24 hours after the shooting, where he celebrated the three deceased victims' lives and strength of the team and staff, and aimed to provide resources for the team to process the deaths. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her hus ...
issued a joint statement about the shooting, which offered their condolences to the families of the victims, thanked first responders for their swift response, and condemned gun violence
Gun-related violence is violence committed with the use of a firearm. Gun-related violence may or may not be considered criminal. Criminal violence includes homicide (except when and where ruled justifiable), assault with a deadly weapon, a ...
.
Virginia Governor
The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
Oath of office
On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...
Glenn Youngkin
Glenn Allen Youngkin (born December 9, 1966) is an American businessman and politician, currently serving as the 74th governor of Virginia since January 15, 2022. A member of the Republican Party, Youngkin defeated former Democratic governor T ...
tweeted condolences and made an additional statement at the Governor's Tourism Summit the same day asking for the attendees to join in prayer for the community. US House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
member Jennifer Wexton
Jennifer Lynn Wexton (née Tosini; born May 27, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the United States representative for Virginia's 10th congressional district since 2019. The district is anchored in the outer portion of Northe ...
(D, Virginia 10th) said in a tweet: "My heart breaks for those killed and injured, and for the entire UVA community which has been shaken by this horrific tragedy. These terrifying and senseless acts of violence must end. We need greater gun safety reform in our country."
Jones' father stated that he was in disbelief that his son was the suspected shooter, but alleged that his son had recently told him people were "picking on him" but he hadn't spoken to his son in about a month.
See also
* John A. G. Davis
John Anthony Gardner Davis (March 5, 1802, Middlesex County, Virginia – November 15, 1840, Charlottesville, Virginia) was a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law who was shot to death by a student of the university.
Early life ...
, a University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law or UVA Law) is the law school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as part of his "academical v ...
professor who was fatally shot on the UVA campus in 1840
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:University of Virginia shooting, 2022
2022 active shooter incidents in the United States
2022 crimes in Virginia
2022 mass shootings in the United States
Charlottesville, Virginia
Crimes in Virginia
Mass shootings in Virginia
November 2022 crimes in the United States
University and college killings in the United States
University and college shootings in the United States
2022 shooting
Virginia Cavaliers football