For the first time since the tragic shooting that killed three football players and wounded two other victims, Virginia coach Tony Elliott spoke to the media about the ordeal that’s left the Charlottesville community reeling.
Elliott and athletic director Carla Williams spoke at length about Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry, who were all killed by suspected gunman Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former walk-on football player. Elliott compared the situation to a nightmare: “I’m ready for somebody to pinch me and wake me up.”
“The first meeting was really really tough,” Elliott said, breaking down in tears, per SI‘s Ross Dellenger. “Really really tough. Today was much better. We were able to transition from the pain to finding a little bit of joy in celebrating their lives.”
As he fought through tears, Elliott described how important it was for him to be there for his team, and that outwardly grieving was an important step in coming to terms with the immense sense of loss felt throughout the program.
“I’ve had my moments where I’ve broken down,” Elliott said. “I’ve had those moments in front of the team. I think that’s important. It’s honorable we grieve these young men.”
The shooting occurred as students were returning from a field trip from Washington, D.C., on Sunday night near a campus parking garage. The first call came in at around 10:16 p.m. ET Sunday, with officers arriving on the scene about 15 minutes later.
Williams said that no decision had yet been made on whether or not the team would play its game against Coastal Carolina, which is currently scheduled for Saturday at home at 3:30 p.m. ET. On Monday, thousands of students gathered for an on-campus vigil to honor the shooting victims.
“It was amazing,” Williams said. “Remarkable to see the students supporting their classmates. It was healing.”
