A devastating wave of grief hit the West Virginia State University community following the fatal shooting of Jyilek Harrington, a beloved football player, in Charleston on Wednesday night. Charleston police found Harrington with multiple gunshot wounds after responding to a disturbance reported in the 700 block of Regency Drive at approximately 8:30 p.m., as reported by QC News.

In the midst of the investigation by the Charleston Police Department, no suspects have been identified or information released, anyone who might have knowledge related to the incident is encouraged to contact the Charleston PD's Criminal Investigation Division at 304-348-6480, or dispatchers at 304-348-8111, a fact reiterated by both WAVY.

Sources close to the tragic event announce that a fund in Harrington's memory has been set up for those wishing to make a donation. Nate Burton, the Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics at WVSU, paid tribute to Harrington, saying he "truly embodied what it means to be a student-athlete and was a leader not only on campus but in the community," this statement was obtained by WAVY.

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and a graduate of Chambers High School, Harrington was well-known for his athletic talent. He was a senior linebacker at West Virginia State and had previously played at Carson-Newman University. The university community, including both his current and former teams, is in mourning. Matt Pope, Carson-Newman's Vice President of Athletics, reflected this sentiment, stating to QC News, "The Harrington family and the Yellow Jackets’ campus community is in our prayers," as the news arrived just as the teams were preparing for what was meant to be Thursday night’s game.

In a statement obtained by WDBJ7, Ericke Cage, president of West Virginia State University, described Harrington as "an outstanding student-athlete" and expressed that the community's thoughts and prayers were with his family. The news of the shooting is particularly poignant, as Harrington had previously attended and played for Carson-Newman University, the very school WVSU was scheduled to compete against.

Counseling services are being provided to students at the university in response to this tragedy. These services are available at Sullivan Hall East, as reported by WAVY.