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University of Virginia officials had received a tip that Christopher Darnell Jones was in possession of a firearm shortly before he killed three fellow students and wounded two others on the college campus. Police revealed at a news conference Monday that a person contacted the college in the fall saying the 22-year-old had made comments about having a gun. Before that, he was also reportedly involved in a crazy incident at the university. Jones is now charged with three counts of murder after allegedly opening fire on a bus full of students returning from a field trip Sunday night. Three varsity football players – De’Sean Perry, Lavelle Davis Jr. and Devin Chandler – were killed in the attack. Mr Jones then fled before being taken into custody around 12 hours later. The motive for the attack is not known and it is unclear whether the victims were targeted or random.

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The UVA shooting suspect had been investigated for hazing

UVA Police Chief Tim Longo said the suspect, 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones, had been investigated in connection with an alleged hazing incident, but the investigation collapsed after witnesses did not come forward. A threat assessment team at UVA learned that Mr. Jones had violated protocol by not notifying the university of a February 2021 criminal incident in which he had been involved. The criminal investigation took place outside of Charlottesville and involved a concealed weapons violation, NBC reported. “He is required as a student at the University of Virginia to report this and he never did, so the University has taken the appropriate administrative charges through the University’s judicial board and this matter is still pending,” Mr. Longo said. The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has the story: Andrea Blanco15 November 2022 06:00 1668488400

The alleged gunman was on the UVA Threat Assessment Team’s radar

It was unclear whether 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones, who was taken into custody Monday morning by authorities, had any known motive behind the alleged attack on students at the University of Virginia. During a press conference Monday morning, local authorities confirmed that Jones has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder. UVA Police Chief Timothy Longo revealed Monday that a UVA Multidisciplinary Threat Assessment Team launched an investigation after receiving reports that Mr. Jones made comments about having a gun to a person not affiliated with the university. Mr Longo said Jones had not made any threats at the time, but simply indicated he had a gun. The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has the story: Andrea Blanco15 November 2022 05:00 1668484826

UVA’s police chief learned of the gunman’s arrest mid-press

UVA Police Chief Tim Longo was conducting a live news briefing Monday when he was told by a captain that Christopher Darnell Jones, 22, had been taken into custody in connection with the shooting on the university’s main campus in Charlottesville last night of Sunday. “We have just received information that the suspect is in custody,” Mr. Longo told the press. “Just take a moment to thank God and breathe a sigh of relief.” Jones’ arrest just after 11am local time was announced after warnings to the public that he was considered “armed and dangerous”. The UVA Police Chief received word that the suspected shooter was taken into custody Andrea Blanco15 November 2022 04:00 1668481226

Murder suspect Christopher Darnell Jones opened up about his struggles growing up in 2018 op-ed

In a 2018 profile by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Virginia newspaper described how Mr. Jones grew up in the Essex Village and Mosby Court housing complexes in Richmond. In the same article, Mr Jones was described as an intelligent and quiet child by his grandmother, known to him and his siblings as ‘Granny’. “I lift him up in prayer more because I can see God’s hand on him,” his “Grandma” Mary Jones said in the news article. “He was quiet. Even at school, quiet. His sisters and brothers made fun of him. But he was smart. He is destined for more.” For Mr Jones, he described his parents’ divorce as “traumatic” as his father left when he was five and did not return until he was a teenager. “My dad and I were very close. It just hurt me when he had to go,” she said. “This was one of the most traumatic things that happened to me in my life. I didn’t understand why he left. When I went to school, people didn’t understand me.” The Independent’s Johanna Chisholm has the story: Andrea Blanco15 November 2022 03:00 1668477626

UVA football coach describes victims as ‘incredible young men’

In a statement Monday night, University of Virginia head football coach Tony Elliott said the killings deeply affected the team. “I cannot find words to express the devastation and pain our team is feeling today following the tragic events last night that resulted in the deaths of Lavel, D’Sean and Devin…” Mr Elliot wrote. “These were incredible young men with huge ambitions and extremely bright futures. Our hearts go out to their families, classmates and friends.” Andrea Blanco November 15, 2022 02:00 1668474026

The alleged gunman at UVA is a former member of the football team

Officers first identified the suspected shooter in the massacre shortly after midnight Monday, sharing a headshot of 22-year-old Cristopher Darnell Jones that appeared to be taken from UVA’s athletics website, as he was a former football player at the school. “The UVA Police Department is seeking Christopher Darnell Jones in connection with a shooting incident that occurred on the University of Virginia campus. Call 911, if you see him, do not approach,” the department tweeted, warning that he was believed to be “armed and dangerous” in several subsequent posts. Mr. Jones, who is suspected of killing three students, including fellow UVA football players De’Sean Perry, 22, and Lavelle Davis Jr. and Devin Chandler, grew up in Richmond and played football at two area high schools. He was a former UVA football player and is listed on the university’s athletics website on the 2018 roster, although he did not appear in any games. The Independent’s Johanna Chisholm has more: Andrea Blanco November 15, 2022 01:00 1668470426

The UVA campus was placed on lockdown after the shooting that killed three

Late Sunday night, students wrapping up an otherwise quiet weekend at the University of Virginia were disturbed by text messages and emails from the school’s chancellor and the Office of Emergency Management, sparking panic, warning that an active shooter had touched down on the main campus and had eluded arrest by authorities. “UVA Alert: ACTIVE ATTACKER firearm reported in Culbreth Street area. RUN HIDE FIGHT,” the university’s police force tweeted in a late-night message that sent panic across campus. It was later confirmed by the University of Virginia’s Office of Emergency Management that a mass shooting unfolded in a parking garage on the university’s main campus along Culbreth Street in Charlottesville Sunday night. At least three people were killed and two were injured, the school’s president, Jim Ryan, confirmed in a statement early Monday morning. The Independent’s Johanna Crisholm has the story: Andrea Blanco November 15, 2022 00:00 1668468626

UVA linebacker D’Sean Perry among three fatal shooting victims Sunday

Perry, who stood 6’3″ and weighed 230 pounds, was a linebacker and defensive end for the Virginia Cavaliers football team — the same University of Virginia team that shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones made the roster for in 2018 . The 22-year-old soccer star played just hours before his death when his team faced Pittsburgh on Saturday. According to a profile on the Virginia Cavalliers website, Perry previously played linebacker, defensive line and tight end at Gulliver Prep and was named the 2018 South Florida Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also made the U.S. Under-19 team and appeared in the International Bowl in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from high school, he studied studio art at the University of Virginia. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the story: Andrea Blanco November 14, 2022 11:30 p.m 1668466826

Kamala Harris reacts to the UVA shooting

After the suspect was arrested Monday, Vice President Harris condemned the violent incident at the University of Virginia. “It’s a constant reminder that we need to do better when it comes to gun safety laws in our country,” Ms. Harris said. He continued: “The President has been very clear about the importance of being able to sign one of the most important pieces of gun safety legislation for the first time in 30 years in terms of what we just did in terms of the gun control extensions. history, but there is still more work to be done. “We will demand and ask Congress to have the courage. But that won’t take away the loss these families have experienced and it’s tragic.” Andrea Blanco November 14, 2022 11:00 p.m 1668465026

Three members of the UVA football team were killed during the shooting

On Sunday night, at around 10.40pm, the attacker staged his attack near a garage on the university’s main campus before fleeing the scene and evading police detection until Monday morning. The manhunt for the suspect, who police have identified as student and former football player Christopher Darnell Jones, 22, plunged the university’s residence halls into lockdown as students and…