Ex-UVA student pleads guilty in mass shooting that left 3 football players dead

A erstwhile University of Virginia pupil pleaded blameworthy Wednesday to murdering 3 shot players and wounding 2 different students successful a wide shooting astatine the schoolhouse successful 2022.

Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 25, pleaded blameworthy to 3 counts of first-degree murder, 2 counts of aggravated malicious wounding and 5 counts of usage of a firearm successful the committee of a felony.

The first-degree execution charges transportation a condemnation of 20 years to life. If Jones had been convicted of aggravated murder, helium would person faced a mandatory condemnation of beingness successful situation without parole.

Prior to Wednesday’s blameworthy plea, Jones was scheduled to caput to proceedings successful January.

The shooting occurred Nov. 13, 2022 connected a charter bus arsenic Jones and different students arrived backmost astatine the Charlottesville field aft seeing a play successful Washington, D.C.

Authorities said Jones — a erstwhile subordinate of the shot squad — targeted circumstantial radical successful the attack, but nary motive has been released. An interior probe aboriginal revealed that Jones had been flagged by the school’s threat-assessment team.

Football players Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were killed, portion their teammate Mike Hollins was wounded. Hollins underwent aggregate surgeries and returned to the shot tract respective months later.

Marlee Morgan, different student, was besides wounded.

“Today’s proceedings correspond different measurement successful a lengthy and achy travel for the families of the victims and for our community,” assemblage president Jim Ryan said successful a statement. “We proceed to grieve the nonaccomplishment of 3 beloved members of our assemblage and the injuries suffered by others connected the bus.”

The assemblage successful June agreed to a $9 cardinal settlement to immoderate of the victims and their families.