'Just a lot of evil out there': NC State community, others react to UVa mass shooting
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Chirodip Naha had to turn off the news Monday when he saw it coming out of the University of Virginia.
Naha just came to NC State from Bangladesh to study creative writing.
"What is happening is very sad, especially in a country like the US," he said, and he noted that he is not used to this kind of gun violence in his home country.
He said he's rethinking his choice even with Raleigh.
"There are times I go back home around 11 or midnight and it feels like you're walking through a graveyard," he said. "If I see one person, I feel scared."
University officials said three football players were killed and two others were hurt.
The shooting happened on a bus as students were coming back to Charlottesville from a field trip Sunday night.
Wide receiver Devin Chandler, one of the young men killed, was from Huntersville, near Charlotte.
"We send our condolences to the rest of the Chandler family as they go through this," said Matthew Jenkins, who coached Chandler at Hough High School in Cornelius for his senior year. "When it is somebody young, as young as Devin is with as much as he had to look forward to in life, it's shocking and it hurts you and you're saddened because of it."
Two other Cavaliers players also died: Wide receiver Lavel Davis Jr. and linebacker D'Sean Perry.
The suspect was identified as student Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., who was a running back in 2018 but never played in a game. He was taken into custody Monday morning following an overnight manhunt, authorities said.
NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren said it didn't feel right to talk about football before his news conference Monday ahead of the team's game against Louisville. He did eventually but mentioned the events at UVa first.
"I want to send our thoughts and prayers to the UVa community," Doeren said. "To our colleagues and their students, student-athletes and their families, it's terrible news and a tragedy. It's tough; a really challenging situation. Just a lot of evil out there and I hope everybody can pray for them and help them through this."
North Carolina football coach Mack Brown tweeted his thoughts and prayers early Monday.
Duke football coach Mike Elko shared similar sentiments.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper also reacted, saying "our hearts are heavy." after the tragic news.
