Three people were killed and two more were injured in a shooting on the University of Virginia (UVA) campus in Charlottesville, Virginia on Sunday night. Authorities identified and arrested a student and former member of the college football team in connection with the deadly shooting on Monday.
In a Monday morning press statement, UVA President Jim Ryan said the shooting began at around 10:30 p.m. EST on Sunday and said people on campus remained under “shelter in place” guidance on Monday morning. Ryan identified UVA student Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. as the suspected shooter.
The UVA Police Department shared Jones’ photo.
Ryan said Jones was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans, and red shoes, and he may be driving a black SUV with VA license plate number TWX3580.
Police in Henrico County announced they had arrested Jones later on Monday morning.
At around 12:30 p.m., the Henrico Police tweeted that they had taken Jones into custody without incident at around 11 a.m.
Jones was listed on the UVA Football team’s roster in the 2018-2019 season. Fox News reported he never played a game that season and Jones has not appeared on the team roster in subsequent seasons.
“As of this writing, I am heartbroken to report that the shooting has resulted in three fatalities; two additional victims were injured and are receiving medical care,” Ryan said. “We are working closely with the families of the victims, and we will share additional details as soon as we are able.”
Ryan announced University Police Department officers are working with other local law enforcement agencies to find Jones.
“This is a message any leader hopes never to have to send, and I am devastated that this violence has visited the University of Virginia,” Ryan said. “This is a traumatic incident for everyone in our community, and we have cancelled classes for today (Monday, Nov. 14). At this point only designated essential employees should report to work on Monday (all remote employees should continue to work remotely). If you are unsure of your status, please contact your supervisor.”
This is a breaking news story. The details have been periodically updated as more information has become available.
