Former Gulliver Prep player among 3 killed during UVA mass shooting

One of three people killed during a weekend mass shooting at the University of Virginia was from South Florida. D’Sean Perry, a 2019 graduate of Gulliver Preparatory Academy in Pinecrest, was among the victims of the Sunday night shooting, according to a report.

Cliff Kling, the President of Gulliver Preparatory Academy, said Perry will be remembered for his kind heart, quick wit, strong moral character, and hard work.

Kling told CBS4’s Peter D’Oench “This loss will be felt deeply. This was just an absolute tragedy. Just a horrible tragedy. D’Sean was a young man with a caring heart and I will also remember his work in one of our art shows. He had a smile that could light up a room. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family.”

A spokesman for Perry’s family issued a statement that read in part:

“On behalf of D’Sean’s parents, Happy and Sean Perry, and their entire family, we thank the South Florida and Charlottesville communities for the outpouring of support during this impossibly tragic time. Right now, Happy and Sean will not speak publicly about the incident as their grief is only beginning, and out of respect for the University of Virginia community which has been terrorized by another mass shooting in the United States.”

 

Perry was named the South Florida Conference’s 2018 Defensive Player of the Year and finished his senior season in 2018 with 89 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions, according to the UVA website.

He was a junior linebacker for the Virginia Cavaliers.

According to the Miami Herald, Perry was 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed 230 pounds. He recorded two tackles Saturday in Virginia’s 37-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Panthers, and had seven total tackles this season and eight in his career, the newspaper said.