Deshaun Hill, star athlete at Minneapolis North, killed in shooting
The 15-year-old boy who was shot Wednesday afternoon in north Minneapolis has died, with school officials confirming the teen's identity as star student-athlete Deshaun Hill.
In a Facebook post, North High School in Minneapolis confirmed Hill's death with a message saying: “Dear Polar nation, we have lost our beloved D. Hill.”
A GoFundMe for Hill's family describes him as a "star high school athlete" who was especially skilled at football, which was the "apple of his eye." Hill was the starting quarterback at Minneapolis North as a sophomore this past fall and completed 66.7% of his passes for 764 yards and 8 touchdowns, according to MN Football Hub.
Minneapolis Police Department has yet to issue any information about the shooting, but multiple reports say it happened around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of N. Golden Valley Road and N. Penn Avenue. According to the Star Tribune, Hill was walking to a bus stop across the street from Wally's Foods when he was shot.
"Deshaun is such a compassionate and loving young man. Deshaun is an amazing son, brother and friend who touched the lives of everyone he had met with his infectious smile and humble personality. This is not the story of a kid getting caught up in the streets, quite the contrary. Deshaun is an honor roll student, what many have described as a 'perfect' kid. He is the heart of the North community, a representation of what could be, what should be," the online fundraiser says.
WCCO-TV reports that Hill was a focal point for an upcoming HBO documentary about Minneapolis North High School that is currently being filmed.
"Little Shaun was a super star, film crews followed him but he didn’t let it get to his head. He was humble. He was not only great in football, but in school, as a friend, as a brother and as a son. He was just great," wrote Deontray Walker, in a Facebook post.
Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff issued this statement after learning of Hill's death:
We cannot begin to express the sadness we feel as a result of this devastating loss. This bright young man had everything to live for and a promising future ahead of him. The gun violence in our community has to stop. Our youth deserve to feel and be safe. MPS pledges its support to our student’s family, his friends and all those at North and the rest of MPS who knew and loved him. Additionally, we’ve had staff at North High yesterday and today supporting students. Staff will also be there tomorrow.
