In response to a request by the University of Virginia and the Board of Visitors, Attorney General Jason Miyares has agreed to conduct an external review of the events that led to the shooting death of three UVA student-athletes on Sunday. Miyares will enlist a special counsel to assist in completing this important work; a statement from UVA says they cooperate fully with the investigation – which the A-G’s office says will be shared with, quote, “students, families, the larger UVA community, and government officials at the appropriate time.”
(Text of letter from UVA Rector Whittington W. Clement) Dear General Miyares, We would like to thank you and your team for the support you have provided as our community reckons with the death of three University of Virginia students and serious injuries to two others in a shooting that law enforcement authorities believe was perpetrated by Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr., a fellow University student.
As you know, University Police have requested that the Virginia State Police assume primary responsibility for the continued criminal investigation of this tragic incident. University Police officials, along with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, will continue to assist the Virginia State Police in the criminal investigation into this matter, which we expect will support a successful
prosecution of Mr. Jones. As that investigation proceeds, there are many valid questions about the shooting that have yet to
be answered and are unlikely to be answered in the course of criminal proceedings. Accordingly, we write today to request that you exercise your authority under Virginia law to appoint outside special counsel with expertise in these matters to conduct an independent review of the University’s response to the shooting, as well as the efforts the University undertook in the period before
the tragedy to assess the potential threat Mr. Jones posed to our community.
Finally, we request that the special counsel review all relevant University policies and procedures and make recommendations if opportunities for improvement or needs for change are identified. We will cooperate fully with your office and the special counsel who conducts the review. We thank you again for your leadership and support in this difficult moment.
