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Teammate of deceased Georgia Tech recruit shot to death at grandfather's funeral

jack baer
Staff writer
·2 min read
Yard lines on football field
Tragedy hit the Deerfield Beach High School football team yet again on Saturday. (Getty Images)

For the second time in the span of two months, the worst of tragedies has hit the Deerfield Beach High School football team.

15-year-old defensive end Terrance Jackson was one of two people killed at his grandfather’s funeral on Saturday, the team’s coach told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jackson reportedly bypassed a team tour of colleges to attend the funeral.

No arrests have reportedly been made, and police said audio recordings of the incident indicated 13 shots were fired.

A statement from the pastor of Victory City Church helps paint a picture of how the tragedy unfolded:

Pastor Tywuante D. Lupoe said in a video statement posted on Facebook that the church was “very aware” that violence was a possibility at the funeral because of a family dispute and that it had provided armed security. A Riviera Beach police officer also was present, he said.

Lupoe said the security guards and police officer had left after the service when there were only a few stragglers remaining in the area. He said that’s when a fight broke out across the street from the church and the shooting erupted. He said none of the victims are church members and no one was injured on its property. He did not provide further details about the funeral.

Jackson’s death occurs just two months after the death of Bryce Gowdy, a star wide receiver committed to play college football at Georgia Tech. Gowdy was reportedly hit by a freight train, and his death ruled a suicide after struggles with homelessness and mental health.

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