1000’s of University of Virginia students and community members flooded the school’s South Lawn Monday night for an emotional vigil honoring three students killed in a shooting one night earlier.
Mourners lit candles and left flowers in remembrance of Davin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry, three UVA football players who were fatally shot when a gunman opened fire at their team bus on campus.
Their deaths have left the tight-knit football team reeling and plenty of players openly wept as mourners paid tribute to the slain young men.
“It’s a void that we are going to feel for a very long time. This team may be very, very close,” the team’s former director of player relations, Jordan Bullock, told The Post. “To lose one is tragic, to lose three is just devastating.”
Bullock, 28, said it’s heartbreaking that the victims were taken so soon and won’t ever get to graduate.
He said he believed Perry was destined for greatness.
“D’Sean walked around with a curiosity of the world that may have taken him places,” Bullock said. “I feel he would have grown as much as be an influential person.”
He added that the scholar was a “silent leader” who people gravitated to.
“He had this ability just to attach with anybody.”
Bullock said he spoke to Davis last week at a UVA basketball game.
“He looked glad. Last season he was out due to an injury,” he said. “I feel he was just glad to be back on the team and contribute.”
“Lavel was someone who all the time carried a smile on his face,” he added.
Football player Chayce Chalmers, 21, a security for the UVA team and former roommate of Chandler’s, was in shock over the senseless violence.
“I don’t consider it,” he told The Post of the shooting, his voice breaking. “It doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel real in any respect.”
He said Chandler was a funny and passionate one that was dedicated to football and enjoyed playing video games.
“He was an ideal, great guy,” Chalmers said of his roommate.
Chalmers called Perry “iconic” and said Davis was hardworking and “up and coming.”
“[Perry’s] a quiet guy. He’s hilarious. He knew how one can get the team motivated,” he said, still speaking in the current. “He’s iconic, man.”
The football player said all three men were like family who shared a special bond.
“Those were my brothers, my teammates,” Chalmers said. “I worked my tail off with them, I cried with them.”
One other player expressed similar bonds with the victims.
“I’ll miss them rather a lot and I really like them very much,” tight end Henry Duke told The Post.
Police arrested UVA student Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. and charged him with three counts of second-degree murder. He’s being held at Henrico jail.
1000’s of University of Virginia students and community members flooded the school’s South Lawn Monday night for an emotional vigil honoring three students killed in a shooting one night earlier.
Mourners lit candles and left flowers in remembrance of Davin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry, three UVA football players who were fatally shot when a gunman opened fire at their team bus on campus.
Their deaths have left the tight-knit football team reeling and plenty of players openly wept as mourners paid tribute to the slain young men.
“It’s a void that we are going to feel for a very long time. This team may be very, very close,” the team’s former director of player relations, Jordan Bullock, told The Post. “To lose one is tragic, to lose three is just devastating.”
Bullock, 28, said it’s heartbreaking that the victims were taken so soon and won’t ever get to graduate.
He said he believed Perry was destined for greatness.
“D’Sean walked around with a curiosity of the world that may have taken him places,” Bullock said. “I feel he would have grown as much as be an influential person.”
He added that the scholar was a “silent leader” who people gravitated to.
“He had this ability just to attach with anybody.”
Bullock said he spoke to Davis last week at a UVA basketball game.
“He looked glad. Last season he was out due to an injury,” he said. “I feel he was just glad to be back on the team and contribute.”
“Lavel was someone who all the time carried a smile on his face,” he added.
Football player Chayce Chalmers, 21, a security for the UVA team and former roommate of Chandler’s, was in shock over the senseless violence.
“I don’t consider it,” he told The Post of the shooting, his voice breaking. “It doesn’t feel real. It doesn’t feel real in any respect.”
He said Chandler was a funny and passionate one that was dedicated to football and enjoyed playing video games.
“He was an ideal, great guy,” Chalmers said of his roommate.
Chalmers called Perry “iconic” and said Davis was hardworking and “up and coming.”
“[Perry’s] a quiet guy. He’s hilarious. He knew how one can get the team motivated,” he said, still speaking in the current. “He’s iconic, man.”
The football player said all three men were like family who shared a special bond.
“Those were my brothers, my teammates,” Chalmers said. “I worked my tail off with them, I cried with them.”
One other player expressed similar bonds with the victims.
“I’ll miss them rather a lot and I really like them very much,” tight end Henry Duke told The Post.
Police arrested UVA student Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. and charged him with three counts of second-degree murder. He’s being held at Henrico jail.
