UVA SHOOTING DETAILS: Shooter Found Near His High School In Henrico, VA, Has History Of Being Reported For Having A Gun, Involved In Hazing Incident

UVA shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. was captured near his high school in Henrico, VA, after shooting three UVA football players and injuring two others on campus. According to the University of Virginia police chief, Christopher has a history of being reported for possessing a gun, and he was also involved in a hazing incident. The latest inside…

 

Details about suspected shooter Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. are trickling in after he was charged with three counts of murder for fatally shooting three UVA football players. Two others were also injured.

According to police, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. was apprehended Monday morning in eastern Henrico, not far from his high school, Varina High School, which is about an hour and a half away from UVA. Henrico Police released the information in a news release:

 

“Henrico Police took Christoper Darnell Jones, Jr., 22, into custody, without incident, in the 5700 block of Edgelawn Street,” the press release read. “Henrico Police is currently assisting UVA Police with this part of the active investigation. Further information on the case will come directly from the campus police department.”

Three people were killed and two others injured in a shooting that happened in a parking garage on UVA’s campus last night (Nov. 13th). The campus was placed on lockdown for 12 hours. The suspect has been charged with three counts of second degree murder and three counts of having possession of a weapon.

Christopher Jones Jr. is a UVA student and was a member of the football team in 2018. The 5-foot-9-inch, 195-pound student is from Petersburg, where he played linebacker and running back at Petersburg High School for his senior year. He also has ties to Henrico County, where he spent his first three years of high school at Varina.

In a press conference, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan identified the slain UVA football players as wide receiver Lavel Davis Jr. of South Carolina, linebacker D’Sean Perry of Miami, and wide receiver Devin Chandler of Virginia Beach. Two others were wounded in the shooting. One person is in good condition, while another is in critical condition. Watch the clip below:

 

 

According to University of Virginia Police Chief Tim Longo, the shooting occurred on a charter bus after an off-campus field trip. Two of the football players were found dead inside the bus, and the third player was transferred to the medical center, where he later died. The students had just returned from seeing a play in Washington, D.C.

 

 

It’s unclear if Christopher went on the field trip and was on the bus, or if he walked on the bus before the shooting.

 

 

According to the police chief, the shooter hadn’t been on the football team for over a year, and officials don’t know his relationship to the victims at this moment.

Christopher Jones was brought to the attention of campus authorities in September 2022 after authorities discovered he “had made a comment about possessing a gun” to someone “unaffiliated with the university,” Tim Longo said during Monday’s news conference. The reporting person never saw the gun, and the comment made about owning the gun was not made in conjunction with any threats.

The shooter was also involved in a campus hazing investigation of some sort. It was eventually closed due to witnesses refusing to cooperate with the process. It’s unclear if this was associated with the football team or a fraternity.

While investigating the hazing incident, the threat assessment team learned Christopher Jones Jr. was involved in a prior criminal incident off-campus in February 2021.

“Through the course of the threat assessment team’s investigation, we learned of a prior criminal incident involving a concealed weapon violation that occurred outside the city of Charlottesville in February of 2021,” Longo said.

According to the police chief, Christopher was required to report that incident to the university, but he never did. The school’s judicial council took over the case, and the results are pending.

”It is important to share that information with you,” he said, “to let you know that he had been called to our attention.”

Watch the full press conference below:

The 22-year-old suspect graduated from Petersburg High School and previously attended Varina High School (freshman through junior years) before attending UVA.

Christopher excelled academically in high school, earning the title of ‘Student of the Year’ twice at Varina. As a freshman, he was named honorable mention all-conference, and as a sophomore and junior, he was named second team. He was a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society, as well as the president of Key Club and the Jobs for Virginia Grads Program. He has three brothers and sisters.

Some believe Christopher could have been bullied and retaliated on the people who were bothering him.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin tweeted a statement regarding the shooting:

 

 

”This morning, Suzanne and I are praying for the UVA community. Virginia State Police is fully coordinating with UVA police department and local authorities. Please shelter in place while the authorities work to locate the suspect. For family and friends with questions about the event, @UVA has established an Emergency Hotline at 877-685-4836,” he tweeted.

The University of Virginia canceled its basketball game scheduled for Monday night against Northern Iowa after the on-campus shooting

Such heartbreaking news for the families of the victims right before the holidays. We’re keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our prayers.

Photo: UVA Police