Three people have been killed and another two wounded after a gunman went on a shooting spree at a parking garage in the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, local authorities have revealed. The suspect, who is reportedly a former UVA football player, is still at large.
According to the university’s office of emergency management, the first reports of the shooting came in around 10:30pm on Sunday. A campus-wide alert was issued shortly afterwards, with students and staff urged to shelter in place.
University police identified the shooter as Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., adding that he may be driving a black SUV.
They also said several other law enforcement agencies were participating in the “complete search on and around UVA grounds,” with helicopters deployed as part of the effort to locate Jones.
It is not yet clear whether the victims were students.
In his email, university president Jim Ryan said he would “share additional detail as soon as we are able.”
He also announced that all classes would be canceled on Monday.
Referring to the assailant, Ryan confirmed that he was a student. The university’s athletics website listed Jones as a former member of its football team.