Univeristy of Virginia shooting: Who were Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry?

Three University of Virginia football players were killed by an ex-football player late Sunday at the school’s main campus in Charlottesville as a bus returned from a class field trip. 

The campus went into lockdown following the shooting as the police hunted for the suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., who was considered armed and dangerous at the time, and students were told to shelter in place and not approach the shooter if spotted. 

Jones was finally taken into custody after an hourlong manhunt and currently faces three charges of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, UVA Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. told reporters Monday.

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The deceased victims were identified as Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry. Two other students, one in critical condition and one in good condition, were wounded in the shooting and were receiving treatment.

UVA President Jim Ryan said during a press conference: “This is a sad, shocking, and tragic day for our UVA community… The entire university community is grieving this morning. My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all those who knew and loved them, and they are all in my prayers.” 

Who were the victims?

There is limited information on the three deceased victims. Chandler was a second-year student, Davis was a third-year student and Perry was a fourth-year student, Ryan said.

Also Read | Who was Lavel Davis Jr.?

Chandler previously attended the University of Wisconsin. In a statement, Wisconsin’s interim head coach Jim Leonhard said Chandler “had a lasting impact on his teammates, even after he left UW, which is a testament to the type of person he was. His personality was infectious and he was a joy to be around. Our team is hurting for him and his family.”

Lavel Davis Jr., who stood tall at six feet and seven inches, was one of the top wide receivers for the Virginia Cavaliers this season. He has 16 catches for 371 yards and two touchdowns on the year.

Davis said on UVA Football’s Twitter in a May 2021 video that he enjoyed watching ’90s movies and reading Shakespeare plays and the Bible. “Virginia is the perfect place for anybody who wants to work hard and be great,” he said. “At Virginia, it’s way bigger than football.”

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On behalf of Perry’s parents, their attorney thanked the communities in both Charlottesville and South Florida for “the outpouring of support during this impossibly tragic time.” 

He was a linebacker for Virginia who has played in 15 games over the last three seasons. On Saturday against Pittsburgh, he tallied two tackles in the 37-7 loss.