University of Virginia Student D’Sean Perry Spoke to Mother Moments Before Deadly Shooting

One of the University of Virginia students who was shot and killed in Charlottesville on Nov. 13 spoke to his mother on his cell phone moments before the shooting, according to NBC News.

D’Sean Perry, a linebacker for the University of Virginia’s football team, was one of several students who were shot on a chartered bus as they returned from a field trip to Washington, D.C. Devin Chandler and Lavel Davis were also shot and killed. Running back Mike Hollins was also shot three times but survived. Police arrested 22-year-old Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. in connection with the shootings.

D’Sean’s mother, Happy Perry, said she talked to her son every day at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. She said she last talked to her son at 10:06 p.m. on the night of his death. Perry said that her son told her they were almost back on campus and that his cell phone was going dead.

“His cell phone had gone dead,” she said. “I had just gotten off the phone with him. I had just gotten off the phone with him,” she repeated.

Perry said that, minutes later, they heard about an active shooter on campus. Perry and her husband, Sean Perry, remained hopeful knowing that the battery on their son’s phone needed to be charged, but Mrs. Perry noted the wait was excruciating.

“Dreadful, to say the least,” she said. “I had called my sister and let her know what was going on. I just needed everyone to pray.”

At 2:30 a.m. they received the tragic news that their son was one of the victims shot on the bus.

“I heard my wife on the phone. Once she got the call, she just broke down crying,” said Mr. Perry. “All I could do is run around the house and say ‘no,’ and we just cried together.”

Perry would have graduated in January.

His parents said they plan to join national efforts to stop gun violence. “If we don’t do something about it, it will continue,” said Mr. Perry.

“We’re just a voice. We’re just two voices just trying to make people aware of what happened to our son. We’re lost, but we’re not empty. I know my son is right here as we speak.”