Following up on a sad story that was confirmed by the school Sunday, it appears that Idaho wide receiver Ken McRoyal was the victim of a shooting over the weekend.
According to the Los Angeles police department, a 22-year-old male was shot in the upper chest and died very early Sunday morning. While police would not confirm the identity of the victim, McRoyal’s cousin confirmed to CBS2-TV that it was the receiver who was gunned down.
“They took somebody who meant a lot to our family and not only to our family but to a lot, to college football, to this community,” Dominique Blackman told the station. “He’s a Katrina survivor. He’s bigger than that, he’s a father, my friend.”
McRoyal was a New Orleans native who moved to California in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He was reportedly in LA visiting his girlfriend and one-year-old daughter.
According to police, there was some type of verbal altercation between McRoyal and four other individuals outside of a wrap party following a fashion shoot. McRoyal was shot in the chest while another man was shot in the arm. His condition is unknown at the time.
No one has been arrested in the shooting, although police do not believe the shooting was gang-related.
“It’s a devastating loss,” Vandals head coach Robb Akey said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. “We’ve lost a brother, a teammate, a family member. But, more importantly, a momma lost her son today. All of our prayers go to the family – that they can be strong in their healing from this tragedy.”
In his first season with the Vandals after transferring from the El Camino Junior College in California, McRoyal played in eight games and caught six passes for 35 yards.
(Photo credit: Idaho athletics)
