Football players Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were killed, while a fourth member of the team, Mike Hollins, and another student were wounded.
A special grand jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, has upgraded the charges against Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., who is accused of fatally shooting three University of Virginia (UVA) football players in November 2022. The new indictments charge Jones with aggravated murder, the most serious murder charge available in Virginia following the abolition of the death penalty in 2021. If convicted, Jones faces a mandatory life sentence in prison.
Jones, a 23-year-old UVA student and former member of the football team, allegedly opened fire on a charter bus that had returned from a field trip. Three football players—Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler—were killed in the shooting, while a fourth player, Mike Hollins, and another student were injured. The tragic event shocked the UVA community and sparked widespread grief and mourning.
The grand jury’s decision to issue aggravated murder charges represents a significant step in the legal proceedings, reflecting the severity of the crime. Authorities have been building the case against Jones since the shooting, which led to intense media coverage and public outcry. Jones was arrested shortly after the attack, and he has been facing charges related to the deaths ever since.
The shooting occurred on November 13, 2022, when Jones allegedly targeted the students as they were returning to UVA’s campus from a field trip. The attack was carried out with a handgun, and investigators later revealed that Jones had previously had a strained relationship with the victims. The motivation behind the shooting remains a central question for authorities as the case continues to unfold.
The upgraded charges bring renewed attention to the broader issue of gun violence on college campuses, with many calling for increased safety measures and better mental health resources for students. UVA has since implemented additional security protocols, and the case has reignited discussions about how to prevent similar incidents in the future.
For the families of the victims, the latest development in the case is a painful reminder of their tragic loss. The killings of Davis, Perry, and Chandler left a lasting impact on the UVA community, particularly within the football program. A memorial banner honoring the victims was displayed at UVA, and tributes from students, faculty, and alumni have poured in to honor their memories.