Arlington community mourns loss of former AHS football player killed on UVA campus

ARLINGTON, Tenn. (WMC) - The Arlington community is mourning the loss of a former Arlington Tiger who was shot on the University of Virginia campus Sunday night.

In Arlington, high school football has been a communal event since the program started in 2004.

“It’s the true, small-town Friday night event,” said Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman.

With that comes a close connection to the players, especially when players like Devin Chandler light up the football field.

On Sunday night, Chandler was among three University of Virginia Football players who were shot and killed on UVA’s campus.

The players were on a charter bus, returning from a field trip to Washington D.C.

“The entire university community is grieving this morning,” said UVA President Jim Ryan. “My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all of those who knew and loved them.”

Wissman recalls seeing the wide receiver play for the Arlington Tigers.

“Athletics gave him the spotlight, but he was a good person,” Wissman said, speaking about Chandler’s off-the-field character. “To see an unnecessary act of violence take a young man’s life that had a promising future, it’s heartbreaking for us all.”

Arlington Schools released the following statement after the news of Chandler’s death began to make headlines.

Later in the day, former Arlington Tiger’s Head Coach Adam Sykes released a statement on his recollection of coaching Chandler:

It’s devastating to hear what happened to Devin. No one deserves this but especially not a kid like Devin. He was one of the happiest young men I ever had to privilege of knowing. He was always smiling, and you saw him with every kind of group in the school. He just wanted to make those around him as happy as he was.
Devin’s family moved to Arlington before his freshman year, and athletically, we knew from the moment we saw him he was a very gifted player with a lot of potential. He started with the varsity team as a sophomore as a wide receiver and defensive back. He was voted 1st Team All-Region Receiver both his sophomore and junior years, so he was always a player we could count on. Even during his junior year when his dad passed away in the middle of the season, he came to me and said, “Coach, I want to play this week. My dad would want me to play this week.” That was just his character: always thinking of others.
It’s clear he’s remembered. When the news of his death spread this morning at the high school, teachers and people who knew him were immediately reminded of his goodness. Everyone gravitated towards him because of his personality, and his talent in football and track were just added reasons to root for his success. We lost him way too soon.”
Adam Sykes, Arlington Head Football Coach 2015-2020

One of the highlights of #DevinChandler we were able to find from one of his last games at @ACS_System, an 18-yard slant TD pass against Germantown. @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/E0iTB0ddgL
— Parker King (@King_Reports) November 14, 2022

Mayor Wissman said Chandler was in a military family, only living in Arlington for a few years.

He moved to North Carolina during his senior year, but Wissman believes a part of Arlington was always with Chandler.

A part of Chandler is certainly with Arlington right now, in the memories he left with so many on and off the football field.

“He saw his first snowstorm here in Arlington,” Wissman said. “A lot of great things happened to him here in Arlington, and he embraced it. I know there’s a big chunk of the community that is really heartbroken.”

Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. is currently in custody for the deaths of Chandler and the other two UVA players.

He’s facing six charges, including three counts of second-degree murder.

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