West Virginia State Community Mourns Death of Player After Shooting

For some very somber news, a linebacker at a Division II school in West Virginia was fatally shot during what’s being reported as a home invasion on Thursday.

The body of West Virginia State linebacker Jyilek Zyiare Harrington, 21, of Charlotte, N.C., was found inside an apartment Wednesday night in Charleston, W.Va., according to a statement from police.

In the statement, Lt. Tony Hazelett said several gunshots were fired during a disturbance in a hallway and inside the apartment. The statement also read that Harrington had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said they had no information on a possible suspect.

West Virginia State has made counselors available to students and faculty on campus.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jyilek’s family as they mourn the loss of this incredible young man,” West Virginia State president Ericke S. Cage said in a letter to students and faculty that’s posted across the program’s social media channels and on its website.

🐝 | West Virginia State mourns passing of student-athlete https://t.co/ECd9XMEsFA pic.twitter.com/DW2gCGC7ub

— WVSU Athletics (@WVSU_GoJackets) September 12, 2024

Harrington was a senior and recoded eight total tackles, including a sack, in a 27-24 win at Barton College just last week.

“Jyilek truly embodied what it means to be a student-athlete and was a leader not only on campus but in the community,” said West Virginia State vice president of intercollegiate athletics Nate Burton. “Jyilek was a young man that, during Christmas, would create a GoFundMe to help less fortunate families.

The West Virginia State athletic department has established a fun in Harrington’s memory and will send any donations to an organization in Charlotte to continue his charity work.

A moment of silence will be held on Thursday night before West Virginia State’s home opener against Carson-Newman. Harrington previously attended Carson-Newman, where he made seven tackles in six games last season. He began his college career at Division II Erskine College.

“Carson-Newman joins West Virginia State in mourning the untimely passing of former student-athlete Jyilek Harrington,” Carson-Newman vice president of athletics Matt Pope said in a statement. “The Harrington family and the Yellow Jackets’ campus community is in our prayers. News like this is sad to hear anytime, but today it feels worse with two teams who knew him coming together to play.”