Jaylon McKenzie, a 14-year-old from Belleville, Illinois, was an eighth-grader who already had college offers from University of Missouri and University of Illinois.
He was featured in the Future Issue of Sports Illustrated in November 2018. He wanted to be a pro star in California, playing for either the Los Angeles Rams or Chargers.
Jaylon’s dreams were cut short late Saturday when he was shot and killed at a party according to CNN.
McKenzie had been at that party when a fight broke out and he was hit by stray bullets that also struck a girl.
He and the 15-year-old girl were taken to a hospital where Jaylon died a short time afterwards. The girl is in critical condition.
East St. Louis School District 189, where Jaylon was a student, confirmed that some of its students were shot at the party Saturday night.
“School District 189 has learned that a few of our students were shot at a house party in Venice, IL at some point Saturday night,” a statement from the district read. “Few details are clear at this point. We do know that our youth, families and school staff have dealt with a number of tragedies and incidents of violence this year. We request space and time for them to appropriately grieve and come to terms with this latest impact of violence.”
Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
The Latest Music, Celebrities and Interviews: Follow @‘92qjamsbmore’