UPDATE: Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. was arrested and is currently in custody as of early Monday afternoon.
Classes were canceled on Monday after three people were shot and killed and another two injured at the University of Virginia, where a gunman – suspected to be a former football player for the school – opened fire late Sunday evening.
Authorities are currently on a manhunt for Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr., a UVA student who President Jim Ryan had identified as a suspect in the fatal on-campus shooting, according to the local NBC affiliate.
The incident reportedly occurred on Culbreth Road around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
Suspect Identified In On-Campus UVA Shooting, Police Continue Manhunt For Alleged Gunman
Jones was last seen wearing a red jacket, red shoes and blue jeans. He remained on the run as of Monday morning and was considered armed and dangerous.
A shelter in place was ordered on UVA grounds as police continued to search for Jones. As of Monday morning, the identities of the victims have not been released.
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
“We are working closely with the families of the victims, and we will share additional details as soon as we are able,” Ryan said in a statement sent early Monday morning.
Ryan went on to say the multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in the search for Jones.
“We will keep our community apprised of developments as the situation evolves,” Ryan said.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr: What We Know About The Suspected Gunman So Far
What we do know about the shooter is that he is currently enrolled as a student at UVA, where he was a member of the football team back in 2018, according to WRIC.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former UVA football player and a current student, is suspected in a shooting that left three dead and two injured on the campus of UVA. He is considered armed and dangerous. pic.twitter.com/QsyGM7NMbp
— Missing Pieces Network (@Network4Missing) November 14, 2022
The 5-foot-9-inch, 195-pound man is from Petersburg, where he played linebacker and running back at Petersburg High School for his senior year.
In high school, Jones was a two-time “Student of the Year” award winner, and earned honorable mention all-conference as a freshman and second-team accolades in his sophomore and junior years, the outlet reports.
Jones was a member of the National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society, president of Key Club and president of Jobs for Virginia Grads Program.
University President “Devastated” By Deadly Shootings, Schools, City Offices, Busses Closed As Manhunt Ensues
The university president also added that he was “devastated that this violence has visited” UVM.
“This is a message any leader hopes never to have to send, and I am devastated that this violence has visited the University of Virginia,” Ryan said.
Meanwhile, Charlottesville City Schools, city offices, and Albemarle County Public Schools are all closed Monday. Academic bus routes were similarly suspended until further notice, the outlet reports.
This is a developing story. Check back in with The Shade Room for more updates as they come.
