A taking pictures on the College of Virginia left three individuals lifeless and at the very least two others injured, sparking a manhunt for a suspect Monday and warnings for college students to “shelter in place” or “run, conceal, battle.”
Gunfire was initially reported at a parking storage on Culbreth Highway, close to the varsity’s drama constructing, at round 10:30 p.m. Sunday, the College of Virginia Workplace of Emergency Administration mentioned in a tweet.
“I’m heartbroken to report that the taking pictures has resulted in three fatalities,” Jim Ryan, the college’s president, mentioned later in an electronic mail to college students. He mentioned two further victims have been additionally injured within the taking pictures and have been receiving medical care. He didn’t launch names of the deceased.
“This can be a message any chief hopes by no means to must ship, and I’m devastated that this violence has visited the College of Virginia,” Ryan mentioned. He mentioned lessons could be cancelled for Monday, with solely designated important staff anticipated to report back to work.
Authorities mentioned they have been on the lookout for Christopher Darnell Jones in reference to the lethal taking pictures. Ryan described Jones as “one among our college students” in his message.
“Name 911 if seen, don’t strategy,” 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.
Early on within the incident, each the police department and the college’s emergency management office shared warnings for college students to “shelter in place” or “RUN HIDE FIGHT.”
The suspect was final seen sporting a burgundy jacket, blue denims and pink sneakers, the college’s emergency administration workplace mentioned, including that he could possibly be driving a black SUV.
In a later replace shared at round 2:55 a.m. EST, the college’s emergency administration workplace mentioned a number of businesses, together with a Virginia State Police helicopter, have been nonetheless trying to find 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 befell.
“Now we have all obtained a number of shelter in place texts, and they’re scary,” Robyn S. Hadley, vice chairman and dean of scholars on the College of Virginia, mentioned 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 significantly because the scenario stays energetic,” Hadley wrote.
This can be a creating story. Please test again for updates.
Joe Studley and Dennis Romero contributed.
