Campus Tragedy: Shooting Upends Class Field Trip, Sends UVA into Lockdown
Fear struck the University of Virginia campus Sunday, November 13, as Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. shot his fellow classmates, killing three and wounding two others [1]. The tragedy occurred on and around a bus returning from a class field trip. Jones was not in the class, but the professor, who taught another class he took, invited him along [2]. The incident led to a 12-hour manhunt and a campus-wide lockdown until police arrested Jones [1].
The victims who died—Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry—were all members of the UVA football team, which Jones joined his freshman year but quit after not receiving play time [1]. A witness described Jones as targeting specific classmates, killing one while he was asleep [3].
Jones was charged with three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, and two counts of malicious wounding, each with a firearm charge [1]. Conviction on a count of second-degree murder in the commonwealth of Virginia carries a sentence of 5 to 40 years. In his first court appearance Wednesday, Jones did not enter a plea. The judge denied bail and assigned him a public defender until Jones retains private counsel [3]. When the shooting occurred, Jones was under investigation by UVA administrators for failing to disclose a misdemeanor concealed weapons charge [1].
It is still unclear why Jones, a member of the National Honor Society, student of the year, and a star football player in high school, decided to take the lives of his classmates. His father described him as “real paranoid” and said Jones was bullied while at UVA.
The judge has called a status trial date of December 8, when prosecutors and Jones’ attorney are expected to provide updates on the progress of the case [4].