UVA Football Players React to Teammates' Deaths: 'I'm Speechless'

Members of the University of Virginia (UVA) football team reacted with shock and sadness on Monday after three of their teammates were killed in a mass shooting.

Players Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were gunned down on Sunday night near a parking deck on UVA's main campus in Charlottesville. At least two others were also injured. The suspect, Christopher Jones, was a former UVA football player and was arrested following a manhunt.

As the news spread on Monday morning and the three victims were identified, other players on the UVA football team took to social media with reactions to their tragedy. Terrell Jones, defensive lineman, mourned the losses, saying that they were as good as men as they were as athletes.

"[Three] great players..." Jones tweeted. "But 3 even better great men off the field love y'all boys."

UVA quarterbacks Delaney Crawford and Jay Woolfolk shared similar sentiments on social media, the former posting "I'm speechless" and the latter "Lost for words," each accompanied by a broken heart emoji.

The team's official Twitter page retweeted an announcement that its Monday game against Northern Iowa had been canceled.

"I cannot find the words to express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling today after the tragic events last night that resulted in the deaths of Lavel, D'Sean, and Devin, and the others who were injured," Tony Elliott, UVA's head coach, said in a statement sent to Newsweek. "These were incredible young men with huge aspirations and extremely bright futures. Our hearts ache for their families, their classmates, and their friends. These precious young men were called away too soon. We are all fortunate to have them be a part of our lives. They touched us, inspired us, and worked incredibly hard as representatives of our program, university, and community. Rest in peace, young men."

"As a mother of three children, I ache for the parents and family members," UVA Athletic Director Carla Williams added in her own statement. "We lost three talented and bright young men. We will never see what their impact on the world would have been, but we will never forget their impact on us. I miss Lavel, D'Sean, and Devin. I pray for peace, comfort, and hope for their parents and loved ones. For their teammates, coaches, and friends, I pray for strength and a peace that surpasses all understanding."

At least one other victim from the Sunday night shooting has also been confirmed to be a UVA football player, Mike Hollins. A junior running back who previously played for University Lab High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hollins was reportedly injured in the incident and is recovering after a successful surgery. The identity of the other injured party has not been reported. Hollins' involvement was reported by his former high school coach, as university officials have declined to name the two injured victims at the moment.

The significance of the suspect reportedly being a former UVA football player, and at least four of the victims being current players, has not yet been established.

"The search for the suspect may be over, but the work of understanding this terrible crime and what motivated ... it is just beginning," UVA President James E. Ryan said in a statement sent to Newsweek and other outlets. "University Police will continue to work with their partners in law enforcement to investigate this shooting, and we will provide additional information about those efforts as we are able."

Davis, in particular, had received praise for his abilities on the field, posting impressive stats in his freshman year and returning from injury in the most recent season as a junior and thriving. Multiple NFL draft analysts told Newsweek that Davis would certainly have been a strong draft contender in 2023, with one saying that he would have made a "special talent" in the NFL.

Updated, 11/14/2022, 5:30 p.m. EST: This article was updated to include statements from UVA officials.