The suspect, who police believe is a student, is still at large and said to be “armed and dangerous”.
Image source, Getty ImagesAt least three people were killed and two others were injured in a shooting on the University of Virginia campus, authorities said early Monday morning.
The suspect remains at large and has been described as “armed and dangerous”.
“One of our students, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr, is suspected to have committed the shooting,” the university said in a statement.
Students have been warned to shelter in place by university authorities.
The shooting reportedly took place at around 22:30 local time (03:30 GMT) Sunday at a garage on Culbreth Road, on the university’s Charlottesville campus.
“It resulted in three fatalities; two additional victims were injured and are receiving medical care,” President Jim Ryan said in a letter to the university community posted on social media.
The suspect was described by the police as wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans, red shoes and possibly driving a black sport-utility vehicle. They urged family and friends of those on campus to call an emergency hotline for more information about the episode.
The university sent an email to students at 06:30 local time (11:30 GMT) asking: “Please, please take the shelter in place commands seriously as the situation remains active.”
“I am devastated that this violence has visited the University of Virginia,” said Mr Ryan.
Classes were cancelled on Monday.
The university is considered among one of the most prestigious in the country and ranked number three in public universities in the US.