3 dead, 2 wounded in shooting at University of Virginia; manhunt underway for student suspect

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Three people have been killed and two others were wounded in a shooting at a parking garage at the University of Virginia, according to the school’s president, and police searched Monday for a student who was a suspect.

The shooting at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday “resulted in three fatalities; two additional victims were injured and are receiving medical care,” President Jim Ryan said in a letter to the university community posted on social media. He identified the suspect as Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former UVA football player.

The university’s emergency management issued an alert on Sunday night notifying the campus community of an “active attacker firearm.” The message warned students to shelter in place following a report of shots fired on Culbreth Road on the northern outskirts of campus. Classes were canceled Monday.

The UVA Police Department posted a notice online saying multiple police agencies including the state police were searching for a suspect who was considered “armed and dangerous.”

In his letter to campus, the university president said Jones was suspected to have committed the shooting. The campus emergency management twitter account said that he was believed to be wearing blue jeans and a burgundy jacket and driving a black SUV with Virginia tags.

The university’s emergency management Twitter account said shortly before 7 a.m. that “a complete search on and around UVA Grounds” by law enforcement was underway and urged people on campus to remain sheltered.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said agents were responding to the campus to assist in the investigation.

Ryan’s letter confirmed that the suspect, who he said was a student, was still at large Monday morning.

“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 wrote. “This is a traumatic incident for everyone in our community.”