‘A loving young man’: Vigil honors former Lowcountry football star killed in shooting
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/AP) - The family of one of the three University of Virginia students killed in a shooting mourned with the community at a Sunday night vigil.
Lavel Davis Jr., a wide receiver with the UVA Cavaliers and a former Woodland High School student, died from his injuries in a Nov. 13 shooting.
At a Sunday night memorial, members of his hometown in Ridgeville shared memories of Davis Jr.
His cousin says that Davis Jr. was a loving young man.
“As a matter of fact, I told his mother, I told her thank you so much for sharing with all of us, not only Ridgeville, the University of Virginia and in this the entire world,” Anitra Doctor said. “I just wanted to thank her for just sharing him with us and she wasn’t selfish. And he wasn’t selfish with his love. He wasn’t selfish with his time. His commitment, his honor and his loyalty. And I think that’s what I’ll take away.”
Mark Carson read a letter from his son, Marquis, who was Davis Jr.’s best friend and is deployed in the military.
“To the rest of our family, I’m sorry; I love each and every one of you and from the bottom of my heart,” Marquis wrote. “As you told us if God brings us to it, he will get us through it. To our boys, I love you and will continue to be part of their life.”
Davis Jr., along with two UVA teammates, D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler, lost their lives after being shot on a bus returning from a field trip.
The suspect in the shooting, identified as Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., has been taken into custody. He faces three counts of second-degree murder, two counts of malicious wounding and additional gun-related charges.
A witness to the shooting told police that it was a targeted shooting.
Davis Jr’s family hopes that his legacy will remain strong within the community and with everyone that he touched.
“Lavel was a loving young man who loved everybody,” Doctor said. “I think that’s representative of everyone that came out tonight to celebrate his life, his legacy and his memory, and we just want the world to know what we got to experience firsthand.”
Copyright 2022 WCSC. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved.
