The Board of Visitors announced they will hold a special meeting this Thursday at 2 p.m. to review an unspecified legal matter. While the University did not confirm that it was explicitly related, the meeting follows the release of the preliminary report of the external review conducted after last year’s shooting.
The Board meeting will take place virtually, with the majority of the session closed to the public. The only agenda item includes a legal briefing on a “specific legal matter” and advice for “potential litigation,” according to the meeting book. This additional meeting comes after the Board met for another special meeting Oct 26. Last week’s meeting was also held in closed session, with the same legal matter on the agenda.
A University spokesperson declined to confirm whether the special meetings were held in response to the external review. The University recently received a preliminary version of this report Oct. 21, and noted that University leadership would examine the findings alongside the Board of Visitors.
“University leaders remain committed to learning as much as possible about the tragedy and the circumstances that led to it,” said the statement.
The review, scheduled to be released to the public by early November, details the University's response to last November’s shooting and its assessment of shooter Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. ahead of the event. Attorney General Jason Miyares selected law firms Quinn Emanuel and Vinson and Elkins to conduct the review at President Jim Ryan’s request.
On November 13, 2022, University students Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry were fatally injured in the shooting that left the rest of the students on Grounds on lockdown for almost twelve hours. Two other students were injured in the shooting but survived.
Jones, former University student and football player, has been charged with ten counts associated with the shooting. These charges include three counts of second-degree murder and five counts of the use of a firearm in a first felony offense.
Jones has been reported to the University’s threat assessment team prior to the shooting for making a comment relating to a firearm. After the shooting, Jone’s dorm in Bice House, upperclassman student housing, was searched. According to a search warrant inventory obtained by the Daily Progress, a semi-automatic rifle, pistol, ammunition and device to make bullets fire faster were found. Jones is currently awaiting trial.
The portion of the session that is open can be accessed on the Board website. There will be no opportunity for unscheduled comments at the meeting.
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