CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Nealy 48 hours later, UVA administrators and investigators are still trying to find out what could have motivated the deadly shooting on campus.
The shooting happened on a charter bus outside the Culbreth Garage, located on Culbreth Road, after 10 p.m. Sunday. Football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis and D'Sean Perry died from their injuries and two other people were hurt.
13News Now learned more about how the school’s threat assessment team started investigating Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. this semester. He's the man police believe is responsible.
UVA Police Chief Tim Longo said Jones popped up on their radar long before Sunday night.
“I want to be transparent with you,” Chief Longo said during a Monday press conference.
UVA spokesman Brian Coy said the alleged shooter first came to their attention on September 15 while looking into a hazing issue. He said someone reported Jones might have had a gun. The school’s threat assessment team got involved.
“That reporting person, again unaffiliated with the university, to the best of our knowledge never saw a gun,” Chief Longo said. “The comment about Mr. Jones owning a gun was not made in conjunction with any threats.”
Chief Longo said Jones’ roommate said they didn’t see a weapon.
Coy said the investigation led police to find out Jones was convicted of a misdemeanor concealed weapons violation in 2021 in another city. He said Jones got a 12-month suspended sentence and a small fine.
UVA officials said Jones didn’t tell them about the conviction and refused to cooperate with their investigation.
“What is interesting about that case is he is required as a student at the University of Virginia to report that,” Chief Longo said.
Chief Longo said the hazing investigation closed because the witnesses did not cooperate. He didn't mention how it connected to Jones.
Jones' father, Christopher Jones Sr., said his son recently had some bullying troubles.
“The last time I talked to him he said some people was picking on him or whatever and he didn’t know how to handle it,” Jones Sr. said.
Coy said officials are asking the university’s judiciary committee to look into disciplinary action for Jones’ refusal to cooperate with police investigations and failure to tell them about his misdemeanor conviction.
Jones is scheduled to appear in court for the first time Wednesday at 9 a.m.