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University of Virginia shooting: Posts hit social media urging 'Black people' to stay indoors for fear of arrest

The post came out after the University of Virginia Police Department named the suspect Christopher Darnell Jones and published a photo of him

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: A horrific mass shooting on the campus of the University of Virginia on Sunday, November 13 claimed the lives of three people and left two people with life-threatening injuries. With the suspect, identified by police as Christopher Darnell Jones, still at large, a social media user urged Black people of the close-knit town to stay indoors for fear of arrest.

The shooting took place at around 10:40 pm on Culbreth Road, the University of Virginia Police Department tweeted. The authorities have since cordoned the road and have been actively searching for the suspect. The two wounded individuals are currently in critical condition at hospital, said university president Jim Ryan, adding he was devastated “that this violence has visited the University of Virginia.”

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Alerting Black residents, a social user named Veronica McDonald took to her Twitter handle and shared a post reading, “Black people in/around Charlottesville/UVA, get in the house ASAP and don't come back out until the suspect is arrested because you will be snatched up for questioning. #stayinthehouse”. While some users took her warning seriously some slammed her for playing the ‘race card’.

The post came out after the University of Virginia Police Department named suspect Jones and published a photo of him. Jones was described as a Black man wearing a "burgundy jacket, blue jeans, and red shoes", and may have been driving a black SUV, police said.

"UVA Alert: SUSPECT IS DESCRIBED AS A BLACK MAN, WEARING A BURGANDY JACKET OR HOODIE, BLUE JEANS, RED SHOES," UVA Police Department tweeted. In a series of tweets, police have been sharing updates on the shooting incident. "UPDATE ON CULBRETH RD: 1 SUSPECT IS AT LARGE, CONSIDERED ARMED & DANGEROUS. CONTINUE TO SHELTER IN PLACE. REACH OUT TO FRIENDS & FAMILY TO ADVISE OF STATUS," they wrote.

In another tweet, identifying the suspect, the department wrote, "The UVA Police Department is looking for Christopher Darnell Jones regarding the shooting incident that occurred on the grounds of the University of Virginia. Call 911 if seen, do not approach."

University president Ryan said Jones is a student at the school and even his image matched the university's athletics profile of a former UVA football player who was part of the team in 2018. One of four siblings, he is originally from Petersburg, Virginia, according to his profile on VirginiaSports.com.

UVA vice president and chief student affairs officer Robyn S Hadley on Monday, November 14 told students to “take the shelter-in-place commands seriously as the situation remains active. We have all received several shelter-in-place texts, and they are frightening,” in an email to UVA’s student body.

“I am on grounds like many of you; I am sheltering in place and in direct touch with University leadership and UPD … If you are not inside and safe, immediately seek safety,” Hadley said, adding that multiple police jurisdictions were working to locate the suspect.