17-Year-Old Dallas HS Football Player Shot and Killed Early Tuesday Morning
By Michael Luciano
Once a promising offensive line recruit who was poised to tear up FCS competition, former DeSoto High School star Leroy Hawkins will never get the chance to realize his dream.
The 17-year-old was shot and killed on Tuesday in a car in downtown Dallas. No arrests have been made at this time.
In the @dallasnewsphoto image below, Leroy Hawkins celebrated DeSoto's Oct. 2018 win over Mansfield Summit.
— SportsDayHS (@SportsDayHS) June 4, 2019
The 17-year-old who just graduated was found shot to death Tuesday morning in a car in downtown Dallas, police said.
Story: https://t.co/faOXIlkqSm | @LoydBrumfield pic.twitter.com/vRc5sAgUe6
Hawkins was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when a suspect came up to the driver side window and began arguing with two people inside the car before pulling a gun. Police say Hawkins and the suspect knew each other. Hawkins was found dead in the passenger seat with several gunshot wounds.
In his senior season, Hawkins led the DeSoto Eagles to a 9-3 record. Hawkins received a full scholarship to Jackson State University, where he dreamed of following in the footsteps of Tigers legends like Walter Payton and Jackie Slater.
To make an already horrific story even more tragic, Hawkins had graduated from high school not even a week ago.
I just was thinking about all the people said I was never gone be nothing never was gone get pass high school ? look at me now ? pic.twitter.com/eEDlJWDh9T
— Leroy hawkins (@leroyhawkins75) May 31, 2019
Senseless, tragic, and gut-wrenching doesn't even begin to describe this. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hawkins, his family, and the DeSoto High community.