A University of Virginia wrestler from North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is recalling the moment a shooter opened fire on campus Sunday night, killing three people.
"We got an active shooter alert that said 'Run, Hide, Fight.' That's the first time we ever got anything like that," explained senior Mateusz Kudra.
Kudra, who was at his friend's house at the time, said he quickly sheltered in place.
"We were in relative proximity to where the whole thing was going on. We ended up hiding in a room, turning off all the lights, turning off all the TVs, we barricaded the door with a bunch of stuff," he said. "Initially, we heard that people sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and that turned into two people dead, [then] three people dead."
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UVA's president identified those killed as Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry, all members of the football team.
Kudra, a student-athlete himself, said he knew the victims through athletics.
"Nothing justifies a loss of life like this," he said. "Three people were stripped of their dreams, of their goals, of everything."
More on the shooting
The 22-year-old shooting suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a student and former football player, faces three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony, according to UVA's police chief.
He was arrested on Monday about 80 miles East of Charlottesville.
Acknowledging the issue of gun violence on school campuses, Kudra said he also hopes this incident calls attention to mental health.
"Everybody is disappointed, saddened and confused," he said Tuesday. "The biggest message that I want to spread is to be there for each other, have the difficult conversations, and not to get religious, but love thy neighbor at the end of the day."
