A young woman from Southern California attending the University of Arizona became the victim of a deadly shooting at an off-campus party in Tucson, claiming her life and leaving the college community in mourning. Erin Jones, just 20 years of age, was shot around 1:40 a.m. on Sunday and was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
The tragic event unfolded as Jones was allegedly waiting for an Uber, a detail shared by friends to CBS News. In the wake of the violence, the Tucson Police responded to reports of gunfire and found multiple victims, including a female found in a car and two others—a teenage girl and a man—who later sought treatment at a local hospital, as KTLA reported. Their injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.
Back in Newport Beach, where Jones grew up and attended Corona Del Mar High School, the community contended with the shock and grief of losing one of their own. Jake Haley, the principal of Corona Del Mar Middle/High School, acknowledged the deep impact of her death, particularly within the school's soccer community where Jones was well-regarded as a passionate and inclusive team player, according to CBS News.
The University of Arizona's president, Robert C. Robbins, extended his condolences, assuring the Jones family of the university's full support during this difficult period. In an expression of shared grief, Robbins stated, "Our deepest sympathies go out to Erin's family in California and across the country, her friends, and her classmates in Tucson and Newport Beach, who are absorbing the heartbreaking news today," mirroring the sentiment felt across two states bound by this sudden loss, as FOX LA covered. Plans to honor Jones's life and memory will be shared at an appropriate time.
While several witnesses were reported to have fled the scene before police could arrive, the Tucson police continue their search for the suspected shooter or shooters with the investigation ongoing. The university community and Jones’s hometown remain united in grief, awaiting answers in the aftermath of an evening that heartbreakingly cut short the life of a promising young student.
