According to a search warrant obtained by the Charlottesville Daily Progress and a statement from police, authorities said they discovered a rifle and handgun, magazines of ammunition, and a device to load bullets more quickly inside the University of Virginia dorm room of the suspected shooter Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.
Police found another firearm close to where the shooting occurred. The information revealed on Thursday fills in some of the blanks about Jones’s gun collection at the time of the shooting.
The shooting claimed the lives of three football players: Devin Chandler, DeSean Perry, and Lavel Davis Jr. Marlee Morgan and Michael Hollins, the other two injuries victims. Hollins was upgraded to fair condition after receiving treatment for life-threatening wounds. Morgan experienced non-life-threatening injuries.
While the gunman was still at large on Monday morning, Virginia State Police Special Agent B.D toggle secured a search warrant for Jones’s room at Bice Hall, an eight-story apartment complex next to the South Lawn.
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According to the search warrant, toggle allegedly discovered a Smith & Wesson model 39 pistol and a semiautomatic rifle model Ruger AR-556. Two 30-round AR magazines, a package of Winchester.223 ammo, two Glock 9 mm magazines, and a single 9mm bullet were also in the space. It’s not apparent if the magazines were full or empty.
“There are a lot of eyes on that program, but he’s definitely going to lead them and carry the burden of this in the best way possible.”
Tony Elliott has had to grow up fast before. In his first year as a head coach, he’s now dealing with the unthinkable. https://t.co/4Ukq7QnXF7
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) November 17, 2022
Tuggle also discovered some gun-related accessories, including a binary trigger, an optical sight, a red-dot sight, fibreglass gloves, a rifle’s buffer spring, a holster, and a back strap. Virginia allows the use of binary triggers, which quickens the rate of fire of semiautomatic rifles.
The federal government has outlawed similar devices, including bump stocks. Three hours before Jones was apprehended in Henrico County, at 8:20 a.m. on Monday, Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Richard E. Moore authorised the search warrant.
Jones, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Thursday, legitimately bought the rifle and a Glock 45 9mm pistol from Dance’s Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights this year, according to the business owner. If the Glock was the weapon found at the scene, the police have not confirmed it.
Police on Thursday confirmed claims in the media that Jones had taken a bus charter to Washington, D.C., on Sunday with 21 other students and professor Theresa M. Davis to see a play at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. After the performance, the party had dinner at a restaurant in Washington before heading back to campus at about 10:15 p.m.
Jones pulled out a gun and allegedly started firing when the bus had stopped at Culbreth Garage and students had begun to rise, according to police. He continued to shoot as he got off the bus and ran on foot.
He travelled around 80 miles east in his black Dodge Durango to the eastern part of Henrico County, according to the police. Police observed his vehicle Monday at 11 a.m. and started a traffic stop in the 5700 block of Edgelawn Street. They claimed that they caught him without any problems.
Although Jones attended the close-by Varina High School, police have not yet discovered where he went during the more than 12 hours he was missing. Authorities won’t disclose what prompted Jones to start shooting.
According to Corinne Geller, a spokesperson for the Virginia State Police, “at this point in the inquiry, state police is not in a position to comment on Jones’ motivations behind the shootings.”
Jones’ relatives informed media outlets that he was bullied in school. A UVA student riding the bus overheard Jones tell Davis, “You guys are always messing with me,” Ryan Lynch. Lynch, who hadn’t seen Jones engage with the victims for most of the day, didn’t understand the comment because she hadn’t witnessed it.
Chandler, a 20-year-old sophomore from Huntersville, North Carolina, and Perry, a 22-year-old senior from Miami, both perished at the scene. Chandler was shot while he was sleeping, according to the commonwealth’s attorney for Albemarle County earlier this week.
Davis, a 20-year-old junior from Dorchester, South Carolina, was taken to UVa Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds. The Office of the Medical Examiner received the three men’s remains for an autopsy.
Jones, who attended a Wednesday hearing via a video connection, is being held without bond. He is accused of using a firearm to commit a crime, two counts of malicious wounding, and three counts of second-degree murder.
Attorney General Jason Miyares will oversee an external review of UVa’s probe against Jones, which revealed that the university never forwarded his case to the judiciary committee. No one is sure why. Miyares will take the lead on the review at UVa and its board’s request.
UVa attempted to talk with Jones as part of the investigation, but, according to school spokesman Brian Coy, he declined to participate. It’s unclear what steps were taken to get in touch with him.
UVa President Jim Ryan said, “We are inviting an external review for the university’s interactions with the suspect and whether we did everything we could to prevent or avoid this tragedy.” Although it might take some time, we’ll eventually share our findings and put them into practice.
The football game, which UVa postponed on Wednesday, will be replaced with a memorial service on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. The ACC Network will broadcast live coverage of the memorial service.
All guests are welcome to attend, and it will be live-streamed. The school has provided assistance and counselling to the pupils, many of whom were compelled to remain indoors for 12 hours while the shooter was still on the loose. The pupils on the bus where the tragedy occurred and those connected to the victims received further assistance.
According to Ryan, it’s unlikely that the neighbourhood will ever discover a single reason for the shooting. Ryan added, “It’s also possible that we’ll never fully comprehend why this occurred. “However, we will share what we discover.” On the House of Representatives floor on Thursday, Rep.
Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, paid tribute to the lives of Davis, Chandler, and Perry. They were described as unselfish, interested, and determined to strengthen the university and the state by Spanberger, a UVa alumna. As their families mourn, “please join me in remembering their lives, honouring their memories, and standing strong,” she said.