Southern Miss football star and Lucedale, Mississippi, native Marcus “MJ” Daniels Jr. was killed last night, according to Forrest County coroner Lisa Klem.
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Daniels was pronounced dead at 10:04 p.m. and his body has been sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy, according to Klem, who said the incident remains under investigation. The shooting occurred at 219 Ivy Row Circle at the Ivy Row Apartment complex, where a large police presence was seen after responding to a report of a shooting after 9 p.m. Tuesday.
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“The University of Southern Mississippi and the Department of Athletics mourn the loss of M.J. Daniels, whose life was lost Tuesday evening during an incident that occurred off campus,” a statement from USM read. “We send our sincere condolences to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
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Daniels graduated from George County High School in 2021 before enrolling at Ole Miss as a defensive back. He transferred to USM ahead of the 2023 season where he appeared in all 12 games, recording 28 tackles and three interceptions.
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“He loved life, always had a smile on his face, always fun to be around, loved football dearly,” GC head coach James Ray told the Sun Herald. Ray coached Daniels for four years — three as his defensive coordinator and one has his head coach. “It breaks my heart to hear of this. Great guy, great teammate, great football player, and will be dearly missed. I love this guy.
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“He would come to my house and hang out, even when he was at Ole Miss and even when he was at Southern. Just devastated and heartbroken about what we heard today.”
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According to the Hattiesburg Police Department, Daniels was found dead in his car at the apartment complex. He was 21 years old.
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“Our hearts and prayers go out to the Daniels family,” Hattiesburg Police Chief Hardy Sims said. “We are doing all that we can to locate the perpetrators to bring justice to the victim and his family. We are asking the community for their help and to come forward with any information pertaining to this tragic incident and the untimely death of Marcus Daniels. We will share as much information as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. We are working closely with the university and local officials.”
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Many have taken to social media to mourn the loss of a person and athlete who touched lives across the state.
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“You’ll be missed… R.I.P. MJ,” Ole Miss director of recruiting strategy Kelvin Bolden posted on X. “Sending my prayers and condolences to MJ’s family & friends, the George County community & Southern Miss football.”
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To report information, call Hattiesburg police detectives at 601-545-4971. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at www.p3tips.com. Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information leading to felony arrests.
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Margaret Baker contributed to this report.
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This story was originally June 12, 2024, 11:06 AM.
Scott Watkins is the Sun-Herald's high school sports and Southern Miss athletics reporter.
