On November 13th, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. (a former UVA Football player) shot and killed three UVA Football players named Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry, and Lavel Davis Jr. This incident happened on Sunday, November 13th. Jones was later found in Henrico County, around 80 miles from Charlottesville, at around 11:00 am the next morning. Many of these types of incidents have been happening all around the United States, as threats even seem to be a problem here at CHS. Overall, this was a horrific incident that left the University and Charlottesville mourning the untimely death of these three young athletes. 

In Charlottesville, many students here at CHS, have found signs that say, “UVA Strong”, as well as visited the memorial at John Paul Jones Arena, seen Beta Bridge, the small memorial by the parking garage, and many many more examples of love from the community. There are some organizations within Charlottesville and UVA Communities that help to show love for those mourning and those affected by this event.

One of the most well-known funds is called “UVA Strong”, which is a “University-wide effort, administered by the UVA Alumni Association”. This fund is used to help support students who have been affected by the event on November 13th, as well as the students physically harmed by the event, their families, and the families of those who had lost their family members. From the University’s Alumni Association, Christine Hollins, Chief Development Officer, was comfortable with commenting on the subject.

“What are your thoughts on the entire incident at UVA?”

“The shooting on UVA Grounds on November 13 was a horrendous and shocking display of violence, creating a swirl of fear, trauma, and grief that is widespread and deep.”

“How are you willing to help the community grow from this?”

“I’m proud that my employer, the UVA Alumni Association, stepped up quickly to organize a fund to honor the victims and support the survivors, families, and the broader community. We will be distributing the funds raised in the coming months, and while no dollars can ever eliminate the pain and suffering of those who were most affected by this tragedy, it is our hope that the funds will provide some relief and assistance.”

“How (do you think) has the community made a more positive outlook on the situation at hand?”

“Our community is still grieving, but we have been united in our mourning and in honoring those whose lives were lost due to gun violence. I hope we transform our broken hearts into action to make our community–and our nation–a safer place to live and love.”

Another support group within the University of Virginia is the various CAPS Groups within UVA to support students affected. CAPS stands for Counseling and Psychological Services, which is within the student wellness center at UVA. Some of these groups include the Interpersonal Process Group, a Trauma Support Space, and many more mental health-based groups, spaces, and skill development classes that students have the luxury to participate in. From the Counseling and Psychological Services, Ms. Beth Wright was comfortable with commenting on the subject.

“What are your thoughts on the entire incident at UVA?”

“What happened on November 13, 2022, is a tragedy that will reverberate into people’s lives (especially for those who lost loved ones) indefinitely.  It is impossible to say that there will be an endpoint for dealing with this traumatic event.  So many people have been affected by trauma associated with the unnecessary loss of life, the disruption (or reminder of) the lack of safety in the community, and the powerlessness associated with violence.  Trauma manifests in so many aspects of the human condition:  literal changes in the brain, negative thoughts about yourself and others, and energetic blocks in the body.  There also can be an unfortunate repetition of trauma.”

“How are you willing to help the community grow from this?”

“The number 1 agent for healing from trauma is support—for those who have limited social support, there is professional support on grounds and in the community.  At UVA Counseling and Psychological Services, we have tried to offer various means of support through individual and group therapy, expansive outreach to educate people about what to expect from and how to access help for trauma, and partnering with community providers to open up access to mental health resources.  I know other agencies, such as Employee Assistance, the Women’s Center, and other agencies on grounds have expanded resources as well.”

“How (do you think) has the community made a more positive outlook on the situation at hand?”

“Hopefully, as the healing process continues, UVA can have increased awareness about the importance of identifying the antecedents to trauma as early as possible.  All schools need as many mental health resources as possible – as we know the UVA tragedy on November 13 unfortunately was one of many school shootings.  School shootings are becoming a public health epidemic, but knowing there is support and resources are the best safeguards against long-lasting effects.”

Lastly, the Youth Violence Project is a research group, that provides consultations and training on threat assessment, bullying prevention, school safety, and forensic psychology. It is composed of faculty at the University with graduate students at the School of Education. They have various projects, including the Interdisciplinary Group on Preventing School and Community Violence, in relation to recent events. After reaching out to multiple leaders and affiliated professors within the project, many have requested not to comment on this time, as they themselves have been struggling with the event, as well as having trouble connecting with and helping students to cope. Mr.Konold, an affiliated professor within the Youth Violence Project, spoke that the project focuses on “middle and high schools, and attempting to prevent these types of incidents before they occur”. However, Mr.Konold did not wish to speak on the recent events because of the “important differences”  between middle and high schools versus colleges.

As many families, students, faculty, and Charlottesville Citizens have been worried and anxious about this school shooting for weeks and probably for months after. This tragedy should and could have been prevented, by simple mental health protocols. This, therefore, tells the community as a whole that mental health, especially now, should be prioritized.