Matthew Daniel

Joel Gardner reflects on the tragic shooting deaths of three UVA student-athletes, criticizing the university's response and investigation. He points out that the report, which was finally made public after two years, was so heavily redacted that the mother of one of the victims stated, “There’s nothing there.” Gardner believes there was much more that was concealed, emphasizing that "there were many red flags flying there" regarding the shooter’s history, including his previous arrest for illegal possession of a weapon, his admission of owning a weapon in his dorm, and his noncooperative behavior. Gardner expresses disbelief that, despite these warning signs, the university chose to hand the case over to the judiciary committee instead of taking immediate action. He asks, “What do you call it?” referring to the university’s handling of the situation, and calls it “misfeasance,” “gross negligence,” or simply “plain gross negligence.” He also questions the administration's claim that they didn’t have the right to search the shooter’s room, stating, “What do you mean they do have the right? It’s clear they have the right to search.” Gardner concludes that the university's failure to properly investigate or act before the tragedy is a result of either misfeasance or negligence, and he fears the truth may never be fully revealed if the full report is never released.