Gathered on campus Friday, athletes were given an opportunity to grieve and express how the events impacted them personally. They lit candles and released balloons in the air during a ceremony.
Virginia officials and police have said Christopher Darnell Jones joined a group of about two dozen others on a field trip Sunday from the Charlottesville campus to see a play. When their bus arrived back on campus, authorities have said Jones opened fire, killing football players Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler.
Jones faces three counts of second-degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding and additional gun-related charges.
Lacasha State Lawson, a JSCU football player told WSOC-TV that the shooting brought “sorrow and a “heavy burden on me.”
JCSU held a vigil today for the UVA students who were lost their lives to gun violence. Our hearts are with UVA and the families of these young men. #UVAStrong pic.twitter.com/lZYMRgdS92
— Johnson C. Smith U. (@JCSUniversity) November 18, 2022
Another athlete, basketball player, Evan Carter, said the deaths of the young football players hit home because they were “student-athletes just like me.”
Mark Raley, a softball and volleyball coach at the school, said many athletes were concerned for their own safety after the tragedy.
“We can prevent things like this,” he said.
