Police in Charlottesville are searching for a suspect after a shooting at the University of Virginia left three students dead. According to local news station WRIC 8, the fatal incident happened last night (Nov. 13) and left two other individuals injured as well.
Authorities placed the Virginia campus on lockdown and told the community that the suspect has not yet been captured. Police named Christopher Darnell Jones, a student at the university, as a person of interest. He is considered to be armed and dangerous. WRIC 8 reported that the shooting occurred just before 11 p.m. last night on Culbreth Road, a central area on the school’s grounds. Jones is a Black male and was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans and red shoes.
Police at the university believe the suspect may have fled in a black SUV with the Virginia license plate number TWX-3580. The student is a former football player at the college. He also played as a linebacker and running back in his hometown at Petersburg High School before enrolling at UVA. Officials asked those in the area to shelter in place as the search for Jones continues. In a letter shared with students and staff, the university’s president, Jim Ryan, announced that classes would be canceled today (Nov. 14).
According to CNN, it isn’t just the University of Virginia that shut down in light of the shooting and ongoing manhunt. Charlottesville City Schools also canceled classes for today “in order to give police time to investigate while they search for the suspect in our community.” Charlottesville City Offices are closed today as well. “Following a tragedy at the University of Virginia last night, UVA has canceled classes today and remains under advisement to ‘shelter in place,'” the city said. “Charlottesville City Offices will be closed today (Nov. 14) in order to provide police time to investigate while the suspect remains at large. Safety is our top priority,” the statement added.
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