CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The family of one of the victims in the University of Virginia shooting spoke out for the first time on Wednesday.
The shooting happened Sunday night on a charter bus that was returning from a school trip to Washington D.C.
Three football players were killed in the shooting: Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D'Sean Perry. Two others were hurt in the shooting and are receiving medical care.
D'Sean's high school football coach, Earl Sims, Jr., along with the attorney representing the Perry family, Michael Haggard, spoke in front of a slew of reporters in Coral Gables, Florida.
"D'Sean was a beautiful soul, who I among many, had the privilege of meeting," Coach Sims said. "...I echo the sentiments of several of my colleagues when I say that D'Sean was a delightful, respectful, hard-working person who was one of the best overall young men our communities had to offer."
Sims said D'Sean was like a son to him. He said while D'Sean had a "fierce competitive nature," he was kind and had a strong faith in God.
Coach Sims also shared two English assignments D'Sean wrote in high school with the crowd.
In the first assignment, titled "Bigger Than Me," D'Sean wrote about his gratitude toward his parents and everyone that helped him.
"Whatever I do in the future, I will make sure that whoever has helped me become successful will receive something in return," D'Sean wrote. "All I want to do is make my family and the city I'm from proud."
In D'Sean's second assignment, he wrote what it felt like to be on a team that was an underdog.
"...Even though there was hate and adversity, we turn it into motivation and overcame those odds," D'Sean wrote.
Haggard, the family's attorney, has litigated cases for other families of gun violence victims, including the Parkland mass shooting.
"The worst part of this is that everybody in this room, everybody watching this news conference knows there's going to be another mass shooting in the United States. If not today, tomorrow," Haggard said.
D'Sean's parents, Sean and Happy Perry, released the following statement Wednesday:
"Our family is devastated by the passing of our son, D’Sean Perry. He was a loving, giving, caring, God-fearing young man who was full of life and potential, and who made his family proud. His positive impact was not only felt by our family, but also by the several communities that genuinely loved D’Sean, and that he was blessed to be a member of. Football and art was his passion, but the love that he had for his family, friends and his community was proven time and time again through his candid dedication. We truly appreciate the outpouring of love and support from so many people. We continue to keep the families of the other victims of this senseless tragedy in our prayers."
