Jaylon McKenzie — a middle school teen football star at Central Junior High School, and featured in a Sports Illustrated article about young athletes who would rule the future of sports — was found fatally shot Saturday May 4, 2019 at a house party in Venice, Illinois about 5 miles northeast of St. Louis.
Illinois State Police troopers responded to a prom party to a report of a disturbance with shots fired. A Facebook live stream at the scene captured shots being fired even after Illinois State Police troopers were administering first aid to eighth grade Jaylon McKenzie and an injured 15 year-old girl.
McKenzie, from Belleville, Illinois, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The injured 15-year-old girl was also shot, and was listed in critical condition at a hospital. Initially there were no arrests.
McKenzie drew national attention when he caught five passes for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns at the NFL’s 8th Grade All-American Game in Canton, Ohio, in August 2018. McKenzie posted on a social media site that he had received football scholarship from the University of Missouri and University of Illinois. The Sports Illustrated article quote Jaylon McKenzie saying his dream was to play in the NFL and be a star in Los Angeles for the Chargers or Rams.
Jaylon McKenzie, an eighth-grader who was featured in Sports Illustrated's 2018 Future Issue, was shot dead on Saturday night https://t.co/FDzapCpBpL
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 5, 2019
With great sadness, we report the loss of Jaylon McKenzie — a promising college football recruit who was shot and killed at a party: https://t.co/LvcB3NqaQA pic.twitter.com/6se4d32xDx
— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 5, 2019
Blessed to receive my second D1 offer from Illinois?? pic.twitter.com/9F4yzEXRDN
— Jaylon Mckenzie (@jaymckenzie06) April 29, 2019
Jaylon McKenzie, an 8th grade football phenom who was already fielding offers from colleges, was shot to death outside of a party over the weekend, according to police in southern Illinois. https://t.co/sEf2b7stfU pic.twitter.com/YAPXlsgUB9
— ABC News (@ABC) May 6, 2019
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
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Thoughts out to 8th grade phenom Jaylon McKenzie who was shot and killed this weekend ? pic.twitter.com/Nh7GHKH5TW
— Overtime (@overtime) May 6, 2019
8th-grade football phenom recently featured in Sports Illustrated shot to death in Venice, police say https://t.co/Bc14IwztPs pic.twitter.com/2JpH2CtSb0
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) May 5, 2019
8th-grade football phenom recently featured in Sports Illustrated shot to death in Venice, police say https://t.co/DeTArfDhSH
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) May 5, 2019
You Was Next Up and taken too soon! We have to do better.. Rest Easy ?? https://t.co/t5r0PC72vr
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) May 5, 2019