West Virginia football commit Chris Wilson, a 17-year-old defensive lineman from Yorktown, Indiana, died Monday morning in a shooting, according to reporting from Douglas Walker of the Muncie Star Press.
Authorities are still investigating, and no additional details about the shooting have been released.
Yorktown High School principal Stacey Brewer addressed the school community in a statement after the news was shared with the district.
“Dear YCS Families, With great sadness, I share that Chris Wilson, a senior at Yorktown High School, died tragically early this morning. His family has given us permission to share this news.
Chris was a valued member of our school, our football team, and our community. Our hearts are with his family, friends, and teammates.
Muncie Police are leading the investigation, and Yorktown Police have confirmed there is no threat to our students or schools. Your student may hear this news over break.
Please check in with them, listen, and let us know if they need support. Our counselors will be available when school resumes.
If your student needs immediate help, call or text 988. Please keep Chris’s family in your hearts.”
Wilson had emerged as one of Indiana’s top prospects at Yorktown High School. He was rated a four-star recruit by On3 Sports and 247 Sports, and ESPN listed him as a high three-star prospect. As a junior last season, he recorded 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks.
West Virginia landed Wilson on June 11, beating out a long list of major programs for his commitment. Auburn, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Ole Miss, Purdue, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt were among the schools that offered him, along with Wisconsin and several others.
Wilson’s commitment was viewed as a significant recruiting win for the Mountaineers, with SEC and Big Ten programs also heavily involved in his recruitment.
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