UVA students sheltered in place as police investigated fatal Culbreth Rd. shooting

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The university urged everyone on UVA Grounds to shelter in place throughout Sunday night and into Monday morning while police investigated the fatal shooting along Culbreth Road.

That order was lifted shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday, but a large police presence could still be seen. Some UVA students say they were locked inside academic buildings overnight.

“I was stuck in Wilson Hall from 10:30 until like 10:30. So, for 12 hours I was by myself, there was no one else in the entire building. I wanted to stay clear of all the windows and stuff ‚and all the lights were motion activated. So, I kind of just stayed in like a little cubby by the restroom so that I wouldn’t set off any of the lights. Needless to say, I didn’t get much sleep,” student Laurel Supplee said.

“It did not register at all that they were gunshots, initially, until I turned around and saw the student running,” student Jennifer Sheffield said. “That’s when I think I realized what was happening.”

Sheffield says she was walking home when she heard gunshots.

“I turned around and saw one student running towards the house on the corner, and I ran home,” she said. “Two minutes one way or two minutes the other way and my circumstance and where I was at the time could have been very different for me. And so I’m super grateful.”

Tristan Kabesa is with Come As You Are Cville. He says Sunday night’s shooting changed his idea UVA Grounds, and how safe he feels there.

“I believe we all need to come together,” Kabesa said. “Not only just the community, but UVA, as well.”

RELATED: UVA provides updates on deadly Culbreth Rd. shooting, suspect in custody

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