WISCONSIN — A former University of Wisconsin football player is among the three who died in the University of Virginia shooting on Sunday night, authorities confirmed.
Devin Chandler, who was on UVA's football team, also played for the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before transferring. He was among three football players were shot and killed, including Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry. Two others were wounded.
Chandler was a North Carolina native. While with the Badgers, he played as a wide receiver during his two seasons in Wisvconsin. He appeared in six games. He then decided to transfer midway through the 2021 season.
"Everyone in our athletic department is devastated to hear that former Badger football student-athlete Devin Chandler has died as a result of the shooting that took place Sunday night at the University of Virginia," wrote Wisconsin Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh in a statement. " It is heartbreaking and tragic that Devin's young life was cut short by violence. Devin and his family and friends are in my thoughts and we are here to support in any way we can. In addition, we are offering counseling and support services to our current student-athletes and athletic department staff members."
The shooting happened just after 10:15 p.m. Sunday, as a charter bus full of students returned from seeing a play in Washington.
UVA President Jim Ryan said authorities did not have a “full understanding” of the motive or circumstances surrounding the shooting during a press conference on Monday, where he confirmed the names of the victims.
“The entire university community is grieving this morning,” a visibly strained Ryan said. “My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all those who knew and loved them.”
The shooting touched off an intense manhunt, with authorities conducting a building-by-building search of the campus while students sheltered in place for more than 12 hours. The lockdown order was lifted late Monday morning.
According to officials, the suspect was identified as Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. He has been taken into custody.
Police obtained arrest warrants for Jones charging him with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, University Police Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said.
Jones was a former UVA football player, but has not been a member of the team for at least a year, Longo said.
The university’s threat assessment team received a report earlier this fall that Jones had made a remark about possessing a gun. The person who reported it was unaffiliated with the school, Longo said.
No threat was reported in conjunction with the concern about the weapon, but officials looked into it, following up with Jones’ roommate.
Longo also said Jones had been involved in a “hazing investigation of some sort.” He said he did not have all the facts and circumstances of that case; he said the probe was closed after witnesses failed to cooperate.
In addition, officials learned about a prior incident outside Charlottesville involving a weapons violation, Longo said. That incident was not reported to the university, but Longo said it should have been.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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