A former University of Virginia student admitted guilt Wednesday in the fatal 2022 campus shooting that killed three football players and injured two others.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, and five counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Sentencing is set for February 4 in Albemarle County Circuit Court, where Jones faces 20 years to life for each murder charge.
What we know
Authorities said Jones opened fire on a charter bus returning to campus after a group trip to Washington, D.C. The shooting, near a parking garage, killed football players Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler.
Two others, teammate Mike Hollins and student Marlee Morgan, were wounded.
The incident prompted a 12-hour campus lockdown, during which students sheltered in laboratories, dorms, and other buildings until Jones was captured.
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University of Virginia's response
UVA President Jim Ryan called the guilty plea "another step in a lengthy and painful journey" for the victims’ families and the university community.
"We continue to grieve the loss of three beloved members of our community and the injuries suffered by others on the bus," Ryan said in a statement.
The university requested an independent review of its safety protocols and prior threat-assessment processes related to Jones.
In June 2024, UVA agreed to a $9 million settlement with victims’ families, paying $2 million to the families of each deceased student and $3 million to the two survivors.
New murder charges brought against man accused of killing UVA football players
Authorities have upgraded murder charges against the man accused of fatally shooting three University of Virginia football players last year.
Jones’ sentencing in February will mark the conclusion of a case that devastated the UVA community. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.