A capturing on the College of Virginia left three individuals useless and not less than two others injured, sparking a manhunt for a suspect Monday and earlier warnings for college students to “shelter in place” or “RUN HIDE FIGHT.”
Gunfire was initially reported at a parking storage on Culbreth Street, close to the varsity’s drama constructing, at round 10:30 p.m. Sunday, the College of Virginia Workplace of Emergency Administration stated in a tweet.
“I’m heartbroken to report that the capturing has resulted in three fatalities,” Jim Ryan, the college’s president, stated later in an e mail to college students. He stated two extra victims had been additionally injured within the capturing and had been receiving medical care. He didn’t launch names of the deceased.
“This can be a message any chief hopes by no means to should ship, and I’m devastated that this violence has visited the College of Virginia,” Ryan stated. He stated lessons can be canceled for Monday, with solely designated important staff anticipated to report back to work.
Authorities stated they had been searching for Christopher Darnell Jones in reference to the lethal capturing. Ryan described Jones as “considered one of our college students” in his message.
“Name 911 if seen, don’t method,” the College of Virginia Police Division warned in a tweet, sharing a photograph of Jones.
The identical picture seems on a profile for Jones in a 2018 soccer roster shared on the official web site for the Virginia Cavaliers. The profile says Jones didn’t seem in any video games that yr.
He didn’t seem on the Cavalier’s roster in any following season.
The suspect was final seen sporting a burgundy jacket, blue denims and pink footwear, the college’s emergency administration workplace stated, including that he might be driving a black SUV.
His mom, who’s recognized in public data as Margo Ellis, instructed NBC Information in a telephone name Monday that her son has lived along with his grandmother since he was 16 and she or he didn’t know of his whereabouts or what might need contributed to the capturing.
In a later replace shared at round 2:55 a.m. EST, the college’s emergency administration workplace stated a number of companies, together with a Virginia State Police helicopter, had been nonetheless looking for the suspect.
The workplace warned that the suspect was nonetheless thought of “armed and harmful,” because it repeated requires residents to shelter in place because the manhunt occurred.
Regulation enforcement had been doing a complete search on and around the campus grounds round 6 a.m. and a shelter in place order remained in place.
“We’ve all acquired a number of shelter in place texts, and they’re horrifying,” Robyn S. Hadley, vice chairman and dean of scholars on the College of Virginia, stated in an email despatched out to college students. “I’m on Grounds like a lot of you; I’m sheltering in place and in direct contact with College management and UPD.”
“Please, please take the shelter in place instructions severely because the state of affairs stays energetic,” Hadley wrote.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stated early Monday it was helping within the investigation into the varsity space capturing.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin stated in a press release Monday he and his spouse are “praying for the UVA group.”
“Virginia State Police is totally coordinating with UVA police division and native authorities. Please shelter in place whereas the authorities work to find the suspect,” he stated.
This can be a creating story. Please test again for updates.
Joe Studley contributed.
