Michael Hollins, the University of Virginia football player who was seriously injured in Sunday’s mass shooting, has been taken off the tube and moved from the hospital’s intensive care unit, a family friend told CNN on Thursday.
“Mike is doing better today,” Gipson said. “He is in intermediate care and progressing positively. Hopefully he’ll start to make some strides today.”
A day earlier, Hollins’ family said he had two successful surgeries and asked for the community’s prayers.
“We want to start by thanking God for His grace that continues to lead our family through this unspeakable tragedy. In the past 48 hours, Mike has successfully completed two surgeries. We want to thank his doctors and the care team at the University of Virginia Hospital. In the coming days and weeks, Mike will begin the long process of healing,” the statement said.
“As Mike begins the path to healing – physically, emotionally and spiritually – the process will take time. We ask that you respect his privacy and continue to give him space to correct himself.”
The health update comes days after officials said a student fatally shot three other UVA football players — Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry – and injured Hollis and another student on a bus returning to campus from a class field trip. The circumstances behind the shooting that rocked the Charlottesville community remain under police investigation.
Also Thursday, university officials called for an independent review of the shooting.
In a letter to Attorney General Jason Miyares, UVA President Jim Ryan and University Chancellor Whitt Clement called for the appointment of “an outside special counsel with expertise … to conduct an independent review of the University’s response to the shooting, as well as its efforts University that took over the period before the tragedy”.
Miyares announced Thursday his office will launch an external review of the events leading up to the shooting. His spokeswoman, Victoria LaCivita, said in a statement that the AG’s office will seek a special counsel to help complete the project.
“A public report will be shared with students, families, the greater UVA community and government officials at the appropriate time,” LaCivita said. “The Attorney General will work with deliberate speed while ensuring that all necessary resources remain dedicated to criminal investigations conducted by state and local authorities.”
The suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 22, legally purchased firearms on two separate occasions after being barred from doing so years earlier, according to the gun store that made the sales. He tried to buy a firearm in 2018 and 2021, but none of the sales or transfers went through, Dance’s Sporting Goods owner Marlon Dance told CNN.
Jones was under the legal purchase age of 21 to buy a gun in 2018 and failed a background check trying to buy a rifle in 2021 because of pending criminal charges. “Jones did NOT receive any of the firearms he attempted to purchase, and both attempted purchases were forwarded to the Virginia State Police for further action,” Dance said in a statement.
The suspect was able to purchase a rifle in February and a 9mm handgun in July, according to the statement, and there was “nothing of note” about the 2022 purchases.
It’s unclear if any of the guns Jones bought this year were used in Sunday’s shooting, but police confirmed that a previous suspension of his ability to purchase firearms due to an ongoing legal matter in 2021 was lifted.
An outstanding charge Jones faced “was converted to a misdemeanor by the court in October 2021, thereby lifting the ban on future purchases,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said in a statement.
Jones was also the subject of a gun-related investigation by the university’s judicial council before the shooting, in which a student reported that Jones “made a comment to him about having a gun,” according to university spokesman Brian Coy. Jones “repeatedly refused to cooperate with University officials,” and his case was escalated for further review and possible disciplinary action, Coy said.
In Sunday’s shooting, Jones faces three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of use of a weapon in the commission of a felony, UVA Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said. He also faces two counts of malicious wounding, each with a firearm charge.
Jones’ first court appearance Wednesday resulted in him being held without bail, the court ordered. He remains in custody at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, online records show, and his next court appearance is in December, according to Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Hingeley.
Student Ryan Lynch told CNN affiliate KYW-TV that she was on the bus where the shootings occurred and saw Jones push one of the victims.
“Chris got up and pushed Lavelle,” Lynch said. “After he pushed him, he said, ‘You’re always messing with me.’ He said something strange like that, but it was very strange because they didn’t talk to him the whole trip.’
Lynch then heard gunshots, she told KYW.
“They just kept coming, more and more shots,” he said. “We thought he was going to shoot everyone on the bus.”
But “the assailant just walked or, like, got off the bus,” Lynch said.
According to Hingeli in a court appearance Wednesday, a witness to the shooting said Devin Chandler, one of the three dead, was shot while he was sleeping.
After a campus lockdown and manhunt for the suspected shooter, Jones was spotted driving a vehicle and arrested by police Monday about 80 miles east of Charlottesville in Henrico County.
Students, faculty and the wider community gathered Monday night for a candlelight vigil on campus to honor the lives of Perry, Davis and Chandler.
“We’re all lucky to have them in our lives,” Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott said of the trio. “They touched us, inspired us and worked incredibly hard as representatives of our program, university and community.”
Davis was described as a gentle giant whose smile would light up a room, Elliott said at a news conference Tuesday. It resonated “how much he loved his teammates and would do anything for his teammates,” Elliott added.
Perry was “a delightful, respectful, hard-working man who was one of the best young men our community had to offer,” said high school football coach Earl Sims, Jr., who described Perry Wednesday as “like son ”
Perry’s family said in a statement that he “made his family proud” with his faith and good deeds.
“Football and art were his passions, but the love he had for his family, friends and community was demonstrated time and time again through his sincere dedication. We really appreciate the outpouring of love and support from so many people. We continue to keep the families of the other victims of this senseless tragedy in our prayers,” they said.
Adam Sykes, Chandler’s former high school coach, said Chandler “just wanted to make those around him as happy as he was” and often put others first.
“Even during his junior year, when his dad passed away in the middle of the season, he came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I want to play this week. My dad would like me to play this week.’ That was his character: always thinking of others,” Sykes said.
The Cavaliers’ upcoming game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday has been cancelled. A memorial service at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville will be held Saturday afternoon.
