NORFOLK, Va. — The independent external review of the deadly triple shooting on University of Virginia grounds in 2022 cost $1.5 million, according to records obtained by 13News Now through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The external review, which has not yet been publicly released, outlines the events surrounding the November 2022 shooting, when former UVA football player Christopher Jones Jr. allegedly fired into a crowded bus full of students returning from a school-sanctioned trip to Washington D.C. The gunshots struck and killed UVA football players Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler, while injuring two other students, one of whom was UVA running back Mike Hollins.
Shortly after authorities arrested Jones, UVA President Jim Ryan and the Board of Visitors Rector made a request to Attorney General Jason Miyares, asking him to appoint special counsel that would conduct an independent review of the deadly shooting.
The report was completed and submitted to University officials in October 2023, although Miyares did not release the report at that time citing "attorney-client" privileges.
The Associated Press reported that a University spokesperson acknowledged the report may be publicly released sometime in "early November."
13News Now filed a FOIA request to obtain the external review in early November but was ultimately withheld by UVA's FOIA office, citing "attorney-client privilege" and the inclusion of scholastic records. The subsequent response went on to say, "The volume of materials withheld is two reports."
Weeks later, after citing the still pending criminal trial for Jones, UVA leadership announced they would not release the external review after all:
“After conferring with counselors and Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Hingeley, we have decided that we need to wait until after the criminal proceedings to release further information. Making the reports public at this time, or even releasing a summary of their findings and recommendations, could have an impact on the criminal trial of the accused, either by disrupting the case being prepared by the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney, or by interfering with the defendant’s right to a fair trial before an impartial jury," UVA President Jim Ryan said in November 2023.
“It’s important to understand the nature and purpose of a report. It’s not coming from a prosecutor or from law enforcement and not for criminal purposes. It's by an outside party for the university's sake, looking at what they could have done better," said Trey Kelleter, a Norfolk-based criminal defense attorney.
Kelleter, who spent time as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, went on to say that an independent report could complicate a criminal case if there are elements of witness safety or witness tampering, but the decision to release -- or not release -- a report is ultimately the final decision of school leadership.
According to a more recent FOIA request by 13News Now and a subsequent response by the University's FOIA office, that completed but unreleased external review cost $1,507,509.
A breakdown of the total is as follows:
- Quinn Emanuel: $1,036,868
- Vincent Elkins: $432,629
- Christian Barton: $38,012
“The key is the scope of the report, and with UVA I think they would want a really grounds-up assessment of their policies and you can imagine an institution of that size, with that many layers, it can be quite complex to figure out what things needed to change," Kelleter said.
Here is how the UVA external review compares in cost to other external reviews for deadly shootings in Virginia:
5/31 Hilliard Heintze report
Following the Virginia Beach Municipal Center mass shooting, the City of Virginia Beach commissioned a report by Hilliard Heintze, tasked to conduct an independent review of the circumstances that led to a Virginia Beach city employee shooting and killing a dozen innocent civilians in Building 2 on May 31, 2019.
The Hilliard Heintze report "found no evidence that the subject communicated his violent intentions to others before the attack", and a separate Federal Bureau of Investigation analysis described the shooter was "motivated by perceived workplace grievances, which he fixated on for years."
That report, which comes years before more recent findings published by the Virginia Bach Mass Shooting Commission last October, cost $483,895, according to a city spokesperson.
Released Richmond graduation shooting report
In June of 2023, a gunman opened fire at a graduation ceremony for Huguenot High School in Richmond, killing a graduate and his father while injuring several others.
The Richmond Public Schools division commissioned an independent review of the circumstances but did not release the completed findings until media outlets in Richmond sued to have the records publicly released.
The external review, completed by law firm Sands Anderson, cost the school division $88,000 according to a division spokesperson.
When comparing the costs of these external reviews, Kelleter weighed in that using a national law firm like Quinn Emanuel is going to cost more than a regional law firm.
"We don’t know how complicated it is figuring out where the witnesses are and talking to them. Remember, these reports are driven by an institution wanting certain answers for their benefit. You can’t understand how much work needs to go into it unless you understand the purpose," Kelleter said.
Christopher Jones Jr., who faces aggravated murder charges for the deadly shooting, is set to go on trial in February 2025.