UVA police were aware of shooter Christopher Darnell 'possessing gun' months before attack
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: The University of Virginia student shooter who was arrested after a 12-hour manhunt following the shootings at the school’s Charlottesville campus on Sunday night, November 13, was on the police radar since September. He also had a prior criminal incident involving a concealed weapon, revealed officials at a press conference Monday.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr carried a shooting rampage and allegedly killed three members of the football team. The School's Chief of police Tim Longo talking about his past criminal history said, “Because I want to be transparent with you, I want you to know [that] … Mr. Jones came to the attention of the University of Virginia’s threat assessment team in the fall of 2022,” reported New York Post. "They received information that Mr. Jones had made a comment about possessing a gun to a person that was unaffiliated with the university,” he said.
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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. pic.twitter.com/mKcxF6ksxw
— UVA Police Department (@UVAPolice) November 14, 2022
Longo said police believe the person who reported him never saw a gun and added that the comment wasn't made as a threat. The school even followed up with Jones' roommates who told them they had not seen him with a weapon. The investigation was eventually closed after witnesses would not cooperate. Police did not provide more details about the incident but added, during the investigation, the school “learned about prior criminal incident involving a concealed weapon violation that occurred outside the city of Charlottesville in February of 2021."
“He’s required as a student at University of Virginia to report that and he never did, so the University has taken appropriate administrative charges through the University’s judiciary council and that matter is still pending adjudication,” the chief said without providing details. “I’ll try to do better next time,” a mournful Longo said. The school’s shelter-in-place mandate was lifted Monday morning after Jones was taken into custody.
(Sophis112123/Twitter)
The 23-year-old campus shooter was arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree murder for killing Devin Chandler of Virginia Beach, Lavel “Tyler” Davis of Dorchester, South Carolina, and D’Sean Perry of Miami, Florida, reported the source. Two of the students were found dead on the bus and one was declared deceased at a hospital. The name of the two other students who were injured in the shooting has not been released.