Suspect in custody in shooting that left 3 Virginia football players dead, 2 others injured
A former University of Virginia football player was apprehended Monday in connection with a fatal shooting on campus Sunday night that left three dead and two others wounded, university officials said.
Christopher Darnell Jones was identified early Monday morning as the suspect in the shooting, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. Sunday night.
After a search through the night and into Monday morning, Jones was brought into custody by authorities, University of Virginia chief of police Timothy Longo said during a news conference. Jones has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in commission of a felony.
According to university officials, gunfire was reported at a parking garage on Culbreth Road on the northern end of campus. The shooting occurred on a bus after a class trip to see a play in Washington, D.C., university president Jim Ryan said.
The three deceased victims were identified Monday by Ryan as Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry. All three are members of the Virginia football team.
Chandler was a junior wide receiver from Huntersville, North Carolina, who transferred to Virginia after beginning his college football career at Wisconsin. Davis was a junior wide receiver from Dorchester, South Carolina, who led the ACC in yards per reception as a freshman in 2020. Perry was a junior linebacker from Miami who played in 15 games over the past three seasons.
The names of the other victims have not been released at this time. The two victims who survived the shooting are receiving medical care. One is listed in critical condition. The other is in good condition, Ryan said.
Jones is enrolled as a student but was no longer a member of the Virginia football program. He is listed on the 2018 football roster as a freshman running back from Petersburg, Virginia. He did not appear in any games for the Cavaliers.
All Monday classes were canceled as a shelter-in-place order was issued. The shelter-in-place order was lifted just after 10:30 a.m. Monday.
The Virginia men's basketball game scheduled for Monday night has been canceled.
