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Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a student at the University of Virginia, is accused of shooting three people and injuring two others, police said in a statement.
On Sunday, November 13, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a current student and former footballer at the University of Virginia, killed three people and wounded two on the college grounds. Jones then fled the scene and has remained at large, university police warned in a statement.
In a statement, university police said that officers responded to the shooting around 10:30 pm on Sunday in the Culbreth parking garage. University police then issued a campus-wide alert via Twitter, where they said the suspect, identified as Jones, should be considered “armed and dangerous” and cautioned the students and staff to remain inside.
Police have not issued a motive behind the attack that claimed the lives of several people in the on-campus shooting. However, officials, who are still in pursuit of the suspect, said that it is an active investigation and will disclose additional details in due course.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr played as a walk-on running back for the university
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a Petersburg native, is a student at the University of Virginia. According to the university, Jones, a former footballer, played for the university as a walk-on running back on the 2018 team.
In a statement, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan said that as of early Monday morning, November 14, authorities were actively pursuing Jones. Subsequently, Ryan also canceled classes on Monday.
The statement read:
“This is a traumatic incident for everyone in our community and we have cancelled all classes for today (Monday, Nov. 14). At this point only designated essential employees should continue to work remotely.”
Ryan, while confirming the identity of the suspect responsible for the incident, withheld the names of the victims in the shooting. However, Ryan mentioned that one of the dead victims was a current University of Virginia football player.
Ryan said that the university is presently in touch with the victims' families and will provide an update on the ongoing investigations.
He added:
“Our University Police Department has joined forces with other law enforcement agencies to apprehend the suspect and we will keep our community apprised of developments as the situation evolves.”
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a statement asking people to stay vigilant while police scan the grounds for the suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.
The statement read:
“This morning, Suzanne and I are praying for the UVA community. The Virginia State Police is fully coordinating with the UVA police department and local authorities. Please shelter in place while the authorities work to locate the suspect.”
Ryan provided a description of the suspect, who was reportedly last seen “wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans, and red shoes.” The university president added that Jones, a black man, was driving an SUV with Virginia license plates.
