Three dead in shooting on U-Va. campus

Three people were fatally shot and two others were injured on the campus of the University of Virginia late Sunday, U-Va. officials said, in an outburst of violence that set off an intense manhunt in and around Charlottesville for a suspect police described as armed and dangerous. At 5:50 a.m. Monday, U-Va. police said agencies were conducting a “complete search on and around UVA grounds at this time. Expect increased law enforcement presence.” The university identified a student, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., as the suspect. It did not immediately identify the victims. “As of this writing, I am heartbroken to report that the shooting has resulted in three fatalities; two additional victims were injured and are receiving medical care,” U-Va. President James E. Ryan wrote in a message to the community at about 4 a.m. “We are working closely with the families of the victims, and we will share additional detail as soon as we are able.

“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.” Classes for Monday were canceled. Charlottesville City Schools and Albermarle County School District schools were closed. At 6:09 a.m. Monday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) tweeted: “This morning, Suzanne and I are praying for the UVA community. Virginia State Police is fully coordinating with UVA police department and local authorities. Please shelter in place while the authorities work to locate the suspect.” Gunfire was reported at the garage on Culbreth Road about 10:30 p.m., the University of Virginia Office of Emergency Management said. University police said in a tweet that they were looking for Jones “regarding the shooting incident.” Jones is 22 and may be a former football player, according to a 2018 roster. Police later described Jones as a suspect in the shooting. There was a massive manhunt for Jones into the early morning hours, involving a state police helicopter and multiple law enforcement agencies.