The University of Virginia has agreed to a $9 million settlement in connection with a tragic campus shooting in 2022 that claimed the lives of three football players and left two students injured, according to a lawyer representing some of the victims and their families.
However, certain families are advocating for more transparency, specifically the immediate release of an independent investigation conducted last year into the shooting. This investigation examined the university’s handling of the potential threat posed by the accused student, as well as any recommendations derived from the findings.
Kimberly Wald, an attorney representing some of the affected families, argues that the university should have taken action to remove the alleged shooter from campus prior to the incident, citing multiple indicators of concerning behavior.
“This settlement today is only one small step for these families – there is much to be done,” remarked Wald. “If there is even one lesson we can learn from that report, we need to know it now … We need to protect lives now.”
The release of the investigative report was postponed last year due to concerns about its impact on the pending trial of the accused shooter. University President Jim Ryan stated the commitment to releasing the report once it wouldn’t interfere with legal proceedings.
Under the settlement, the University of Virginia will pay $2 million to each of the families of the three deceased students, the maximum allowed by Virginia law. Additionally, $3 million will be allocated in total to the two injured students. The settlement was reached through negotiations outside of court and was approved by a judge, as required by Virginia law. Governor Glenn Younkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares also endorsed the agreements.
University officials expressed condolences for the lives lost and emphasized the lasting impact of the three students on the UVA community.
The perpetrator of the shooting, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former UVA student and football team member, is facing murder charges and other counts. The incident occurred upon the return of students from a field trip, triggering panic and a campus lockdown until the suspect was apprehended.
Following the shooting, the university initiated an external review to evaluate its safety protocols, response to the incident, and previous assessments of the accused student’s potential threat. The report, completed in October, was initially scheduled for release in November but was withheld due to concerns regarding the trial’s integrity.
Happy Perry, who lost her son in the shooting, emphasized the urgency of releasing the report to enhance public safety and national security, stating, “As a mom, I want to know what happened. It is my right to know what happened.”
