Gunman arrested in Blue Ridge Parkway double shooting

The news that an arrest had been made in the Blue Ridge Parkway double shooting that occurred Monday spread like wildfire throughout the Shenandoah Valley. A sigh of relief went up from residents who had stayed away from the park area, fearful of the random shootings that came from someone still on the loose until Wednesday afternoon.

The Waynesboro News Virginian reported the arrest of Ralph Leon Jackson, 56, who was charged with shooting Charlottesville disc jockey Tim Davis, 27, and Christina Floyd, 18, of Palmyra. Mr. Davis remained in critical condition at the University of Virginia Hospital while Ms. Floyd was in fair condition. The NV wrote:

Authorities said Jackson, a married mechanic, fired shotgun blasts at the victims as they watched the sunset off the Blue Ridge Parkway, 10 miles from the Afton entrance, at Rock Point Overlook. The shooting launched a manhunt that pulled in resources from Virginia State Police, the FBI, the National Park Service and other jurisdictions.

Sheriff’s deputies, state police and federal agents combed the region Tuesday and Wednesday seeking the suspect, whom authorities described as a white man of medium build with long, gray hair and who they said fled in what might have been a red Ford Taurus. Numerous sightings came to authorities based on those descriptions.

The arrest was made around 3:15 p.m. on Howardsville Turnpike in Stuarts Draft, which connects to the parkway.

The big question is, "Why?"