Dana Lake '23
Editor-in-Chief
Two weeks ago, a UVA student opened fire on his classmates. Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry were killed in the attack, while two other students were severely injured. The UVA Alerts system was activated, first with a shots fired report at 10:32 p.m. This was quickly updated to a shelter in place order at 10:39 p.m. And then, at 10:45 p.m., it was updated again: Active Attacker, Firearm Reported, RUN HIDE FIGHT. The next twelve hours would see about 500 students and staff trapped on grounds as the search for the shooter sent the city into lockdown. Charlottesville City Schools did not open Monday, and the UVA shelter in place order was not lifted until shortly before the suspect was arrested the next morning.
National papers have covered the facts of the attack, the suspect’s previous reported incidents, and the arrest—some in graphic detail.[1] Even with the movement toward more empathetic and informed reporting, the same pattern repeats itself: A community is thrust into the national spotlight on its worst day, people you haven’t spoken to in years message to ask if you’re okay, and then the rest of the world is swept on to the next tragedy while the people they leave behind stay here. How a community heals from a tragedy takes many forms and takes many years. But in the hours, days, and weeks after November 13, we have seen how UVA has begun the process.
UVA Vice President Robyn Hadley, sheltering in place on Grounds, sent an email at 1:16 a.m. that Monday. This was the first communication students received from the University about the shooting not through the alert system. She acknowledged the frightening situation, confirmed she was in direct contact with UPD, and urged the many students still on Grounds to remain in place. University President Jim Ryan ’92 followed up at 4:14 a.m. He provided more facts of the incident and the suspect’s description, linked to the University’s counseling services, and canceled Monday classes. The Law School also messaged before dawn. At 5:49 a.m., Dean Risa Goluboff confirmed law classes were canceled and also provided links to University counseling. Dean Sarah Davies ’91 followed up by making Student Affairs available for students to speak with over Zoom.
While waiting for the suspect’s apprehension, there was little to do but worry and search online for details. The UVA Alerts system, which notified students every fifteen minutes of the situation’s status, and the fast and open sharing of information from administration helped to alleviate anxiety for many students. For those who went to bed early on Sunday, the most complete set of information available was already waiting for them in their inbox. Effective communication from the beginning set the stage for the next few weeks.
In the press conference later that morning, President Ryan and Vice President Hadley were joined by UVA Chief of Police Tim Longo to provide further details and address reporter questions. The national headline was Chief Longo receiving notice of the suspect’s arrest mid-report, but what many students will remember is the raw emotion President Ryan shared. The arrest was clearly only the beginning for him, and he made a point of reiterating the University’s intentions to hold a community mourning. Later, he and his wife would open their own home to students who needed a different gathering space. President Ryan’s compassion, empathy, and clear love for the students of UVA made a warm figure for the community to turn to.
The University instituted a lenient attendance and participation policy for the undergrads that the Law School also adopted. While the undergraduate school could also cancel exams prior to Thanksgiving break, the Law School could not intervene in the November MPRE many 3Ls had already signed up for. Amid concerns of road closures for students testing on Monday and a general sense of emotional whiplash for everyone else, most law students took the exam as scheduled.
The undergraduate Student Council organized an informal gathering Monday night, with electric candles for attendees to hold and place on the steps of Old Cabell Hall. The hundreds of students and community members who attended shared in silent reflection—considering the loss of three much-loved classmates, concern for the injured students still hospitalized, relief that the suspect had been arrested, confusion over his motives, and the ever-present fear of a copycat. Overcoming fear and grief as a community would be the recurring call throughout the formal and informal gatherings held that week.
At a community breakfast hosted by the Law School, Dean Goluboff offered this closing remark: “I hope you’ll give each other grace and support, and I hope you will ask for it.” We live in a small town. Culbreth is a road many of us travel on to get home, to visit friends, and to get to Main Grounds; Culbreth Garage is right across Emmet Street, not some place far away. A tragedy in the community you live in affects you, no matter how tangentially. How it affects you, when you will feel it strongest, and what that will look like is different for everybody. Be patient with your friends, and when you need support, please ask for it.
There are several ways to help the families directly affected by the shooting. Juan Thornhill, a UVA football alum now playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, raised over $30,000 for the families through a raffle he organized this last week. The University is selling UVA Strong merchandise through the UVA Bookstore to benefit the UVA Strong Fund, which supports the survivors, families of the victims, and the broader student community. You may also write letters to the victims’ families, dropping them off at the information desk at the Rotunda or mailing them to: Office of the EVP-COO, O’Neil Hall 130, 445 Rugby Rd., P.O. Box 400228, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
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dl9uh@virginia.edu
[1] The Law Weekly is not staffed by investigative journalists. For details on the ongoing investigation, please refer to cbs19news.com or other local coverage.