UVA Community Pledges Against Gun Violence on Virginia Tech Anniversary

Students and faculty sign commitment to prevent gun violence and promote peaceful conflict resolution.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:55pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a pen signing a pledge against gun violence, the stark lighting and dark background creating a serious, investigative mood around this symbolic act.A solemn pledge to prevent future tragedies, signed in the wake of recent gun violence that has shaken the UVA community.University of Virginia Today

On the 19th anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting, members of the University of Virginia community came together to sign a pledge against gun violence. The pledge, created by the UVA Batten School's Public Engagement in Governance Looking, Listening, and Learning Laboratory (PEGLLLLab), commits students to a list of promises, including never bringing a gun to a place where drugs or alcohol will be consumed and never threatening to use or using a gun to resolve interpersonal conflicts.

Why it matters

The pledge is part of the PEGLLLLab's ongoing efforts to prevent violence and encourage peaceful conflict resolution in the UVA community, especially in the wake of the 2022 shooting that killed three UVA football players. The initiative aims to honor the memory of those lost and ensure such tragedies do not happen again.

The details

The University Pledge Against Gun Violence event saw students and faculty members one by one signing the pledge, which was first introduced by the PEGLLLLab on November 13, 2025, the 3-year anniversary of the 2022 UVA shooting. The lab plans to offer the pledge annually on April 16 (the Virginia Tech anniversary), November 13, and March 12 (the recent Old Dominion University shooting). The pledge is part of the PEGLLLLab's broader work across the community to prevent violence and encourage peaceful conflict resolution.

  • The University Pledge Against Gun Violence event took place on April 16, 2026, the 19th anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting.
  • The pledge was first introduced by the PEGLLLLab on November 13, 2025, the 3-year anniversary of the 2022 UVA shooting.
  • The PEGLLLLab plans to offer the pledge annually on April 16, November 13, and March 12 (the recent Old Dominion University shooting).

The players

Bobby Doyle

The Director of UVA's Gun Violence Solution Project.

Joshua Williams

A UVA fourth-year student and research assistant with the PEGLLLLab.

Bella Brown

A second-year student at the University of Virginia.

Lavel Davis Jr.

A UVA football player who was killed in the 2022 shooting on campus.

D'Sean Perry

A UVA football player who was killed in the 2022 shooting on campus.

Devin Chandler

A UVA football player who was killed in the 2022 shooting on campus.

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What they’re saying

“We hope that pledges like this can make sure that people are not going to experience something like that again.”

— Bobby Doyle, Director of UVA's Gun Violence Solution Project

“It's going to be the small conversations we have with each other.”

— Joshua Williams, UVA fourth-year student and research assistant

“It's scary, especially with social media too, because threats can be made online. But events like this remind us that we are stronger together.”

— Bella Brown, UVA second-year student

What’s next

The PEGLLLLab will also be holding a Tweens & Teens for Change Film Festival on Saturday, April 26, as part of an ongoing effort to meet with young people and have conversations about managing emotions in healthy ways.

The takeaway

This pledge signing event is a powerful demonstration of the UVA community's commitment to honoring the memory of those lost to gun violence and taking concrete steps to prevent such tragedies from happening again. By engaging students, faculty, and the broader community, the PEGLLLLab is working to address the root causes of gun violence and promote a culture of non-violence and peaceful conflict resolution.