There are a couple of key new details today from the ongoing investigation into Sunday’s triple-murder at the University of Virginia.
According to the Virginia State Police, which is now in charge of the investigation, at the request of the University and its police department, a handgun was recovered in relative proximity to the shooting scene, a charter bus in the parking lot at the Culbreth Theater on Grounds.
The other new detail: a search warrant, executed by investigators on the Charlottesville residence of Chris Jones, 22, who faces three second-degree murder charges in the shooting, resulted in the recovery of a rifle and a handgun.
All firearms have been turned over as evidence to the ATF for processing, according to VSP.
We had learned on Wednesday that Jones had legally purchased two guns – a Ruger AR-556 rifle and a Glock 9mm pistol – from a Colonial Heights gun dealer earlier this year.
This on top of having learned earlier this week that Jones had been the subject of an investigation by the University that he was in possession of a gun that was later dropped because Jones wouldn’t cooperate with investigators.
It was discovered in the course of that investigation by UVA officials that Jones had been convicted in 2021 on a concealed weapons charge, and had not reported the conviction to the University as required.
The school prepared to refer the failure of Jones to report the conviction to a student-led judiciary committee for potential discipline, and after originally saying that this had been done, a school spokesperson clarified on Wednesday that the matter had in fact not been referred to the committee for further action.
The three UVA Football student-athletes killed in the shooting were Devin Chandler, 20, of Virginia Beach; D’Sean Perry, 22, of Miami; and Lavel Davis Jr., 20, of Ridgeville, S.C.
Chandler and Perry died at the scene, according to State Police.
Davis was transported to the UVA Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries.
A fourth football student-athlete, Mike Hollins, 19, of Baton Rouge, La., was transported to UVA Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
Hollins’ family said in a statement on Wednesday that Hollins has undergone two successful surgeries and is now on the road to recovery.
A fifth shooting victim, Marlee Morgan, 19, of Houston, was released from the hospital on Tuesday.
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