UVA shooting updates: Wounded running back Mike Hollins has surgery

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Classes were canceled for a second straight day Tuesday at the University of Virginia as the campus community mourned the death of three students gunned down after returning from a class field trip.

D’Sean Perry, Lavel Davis Jr. and Devin Chandler were members of UVA's football team. Running back Mike Hollins was one of two people wounded in the rampage, his mother said.

The suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., was on the team as a freshman in 2018 but did not play in any games. Jones, 22, was arrested Monday morning in Henrico County, Virginia, near Richmond, following an intensive, 12-hour search.

Jones faces arraignment on three counts of second-degree murder and related charges. No motive for the attack has been determined, authorities said.

"Although we do not yet have a full understanding of the motive and circumstances surrounding these events, police are investigating as we speak," UVA President James Ryan said Monday.

'COMMUNITY WILL COME TOGETHER':Vigils, prayers in the wake of UVA shooting that left 3 dead

Wounded running back Mike Hollins undergoes second surgery

Virginia junior running back Mike Hollins is the fourth known victim in the shooting and was undergoing surgery Tuesday morning, according to his mother, Brenda. She wrote on Twitter that her son was scheduled to undergo a second surgery at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday. She asked followers to continue praying for him and "for all of the families that are going through this horrific tragedy."

"Mike is in surgery now!!! Please pray!" she wrote in a second tweet, adding the hashtags "#GODisgood" and her son's jersey number, #7. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hollins appeared in 21 games during his first three years at UVA. He has rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns so far this year.

– Tom Schad

WOUNDED UVA FOOTBALL PLAYER HAS SURGERY: Mike Hollins was one of two shooting victims who survived

Father of suspect 'can't believe it,' apologizes for his son

Jones's father, Christopher Darnell Jones Sr., says he’s still trying to process the accusations against his son. Jones Sr. told NBC12 in Richmond, Va., that his son always excelled at everything he tried and had a "movie star smile." But he said something was off when he and his son last spoke about a month ago. He said some people were picking on his son and the young Jones "didn't know how to handle it." Jones Sr. told his son to ignore it and go back to school. 

“What happened? Why did it have to get this far?" his father said. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry on his behalf, and I apologize. He’s not a bad kid. He really isn’t."

3 UVA FOOTBALL PLAYERS KILLED: Details emerge

Football coach, athletic director issue heartfelt statements

Virginia Head Football Coach Tony Elliott said the three victims had "huge aspirations" and bright futures.

“I cannot find the words to express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling today after the tragic events," Elliott said in a statement. "These were incredible young men (who) touched us, inspired us and worked incredibly hard as representatives of our program, university and community. Rest in peace, young men.”

Virginia athletics director Carla Williams said that, as a mother of three, she "aches for the parents and family members. We lost three talented and bright young men. We will never see what their impact on the world would have been, but we will never forget their impact on us.”

'THE COMMUNITY WILL COME TOGETHER':Vigils, prayer in the wake of UVA shooting that left 3 dead

Service dogs provide welcome distraction for students

Dozens of UVA students and staff members took a respite from rain and sadness Tuesday to spend time with animals provided by Service dogs of Virginia, a nonprofit that places dogs with people battling issues ranging from diabetes to autism to PTSD.

Among the black and yellow Labradors was Champ, a sweet and unruly service dog in training. Champ, just 6 months old, is already a “fixture on campus” and has helped students decompress during finals and midterms, his handler Amy Lowell said Tuesday. Lowell said the skills a dog needs to help a person with PTSD translate well to helping students during stressful situations.

"In times like these a dog is very sensitive to what’s going on and ... is super helpful just by being fluffy and delicious," she said.

Champ alternated between greeting students, chewing on cardboard signs that read “dog love no charge” and barking at his companions like Holly, an 8-month-old black Labrador. Holly’s handler, assistant professor of nursing Beth Quatrara, volunteers with the nonprofit and said the event was a way for members of the nursing school to support the community.

“Coping with the aftermath of the shooting is all about support and leaning on each other, reaching out to each other. And that's what's gonna get us through,” said Quatrara, who has taught at the university for 25 years. “And Holly's going to help every step of the way.”

How the shooting took place

About two dozen students had taken a bus trip Sunday to Washington, D.C., watched a play and had dinner before returning to the school that night, university Police Chief Timothy Longo said.

"Someone amongst them chose to do an act of violence" when the bus returned to campus at about 10:30 p.m., Longo said. Officers responding to a report of shots fired found the bodies on the bus, he said.

Hundreds gathered Monday night to mourn on campus

Students, faculty and community members gathered Monday night to remember the dead and reflect on the tragedy. At fraternity and sorority houses steps away from the crime scene, students spray-painted "UVA Strong" and "Virginia Strong" banners, displaying the names and numbers of Perry, Davis and Chandler. Luke Stone, 21, a management and marketing major, said the messages were meant to provide encouragement to the emotionally shattered campus community.

"It's been a tough day for a lot of people," Stone said, standing in front of a "Cville Strong" banner Monday afternoon. "Just a sad, tough day for all of us."

– N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY