16-year-old Crenshaw High School basketball standout shot and killed in South LA
"He had everything to look forward to, and some coward takes his life ... who does that?" said a friend.
SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 16-year-old high school basketball star was shot and killed in South Los Angeles over the weekend and the community is now rallying behind his family as the search for his killer begins.
According to police, a shooting was reported around 11:45 p.m. Saturday near 74th Street and Western Avenue. When officers arrived, they found Quincy Reese Jr. gunned down.
The teenager was a well-known basketball player at Crenshaw High School, now home to a growing memorial full of candles and messages.
A vigil was held in Quincy's honor Sunday night where his father shared a heartfelt message.
"He had an outstanding personality and grades were A-1," said his father, Quincy Reese Sr. "He already did what he was supposed to do, which made sure that grades came first."
With a 3.4 GPA, the honor roll student was planning on playing college basketball.
Ed Waters, Crenshaw High School's head basketball coach, said the boy had a bright future.
"Fifty-eight colleges ... that's not a regular human," said the boy's father of the amount of schools that were eyeing his son in hopes of getting his son on their teams. "He's only in the 11th grade."
His family said he'd gone to a party with his teammates Saturday when trouble suddenly broke out.
"They attacked him and they chased him down like a dog and shot him in the head," said Quincy's cousin, Eric Johnson.
Known for his vision, passion, and drive, friends said Quincy was always focused on his future.
"This kid was a promising student athlete; the world was his oyster," said friend Derrick Cooper. "He had everything to look forward to, and some coward takes his life ... who does that?"
As friends and family mourn, they are pleading for the public's help catching his killer.
"Come forward, you guys know who did it, you know what happened ... open your mouth, open your mouth," said Johnson.
Quincy's dad said he had just signed up his son for driver's education classes.
He's asking anyone with information to contact police.
