Hundreds of students gathered around UVA’s chapel as the bells played Amazing Grace – then chimed three times for the fallen football players. Inside, a short memorial service was held for invited guests including the university’s president. On Sunday, Jim Ryan issued a statement, warning this would be a hard day and suggesting community members support one another and reach out if they needed help.
T-shirts, signs on beta bridge and on campus buses proclaimed UVA Strong and Forever in our Hearts, but there was no discussion of gun control. We spoke with one student who asked to remain anonymous but was frustrated by the lack of action.
“Guns should not be around any school setting whatsoever, and most American students at this point in their lives have had some sort of experience like this," she said. "It is enraging.”
The school has indicated it will release the state’s investigation of the shooting soon. Legal experts say lawsuits are likely in light of the fact that UVA was warned beforehand that the suspect in last year’s shooting had a gun in his dorm room but the university took no action.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
