Southern Miss football player killed in off-campus shooting

Southern Mississippi University defensive back Marcus “MJ” Daniels Jr. was killed in an off-campus shooting Tuesday night.

The 21-year-old was shot in an apartment complex in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. His body has been turned over to a coroner, according to the Associated Press.

WDAM-TV reported that in addition to police and emergency personnel, Southern Miss coach Will Hall and other USM officials were on site Tuesday evening.

The Southern Miss soccer association released a statement on Wednesday mourning the loss of the young player.

“We send our sincere condolences to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time,” the statement said.

The statement did not provide any details about Daniel’s death, only saying it was “an incident that occurred off campus.”

In addition, the statement said that the school’s counseling services would be available to members of the football program and others in the university community.

Daniels, a senior who transferred from Ole Miss last season, was a cornerback for the Golden Eagles. In the 2023 season, his only one with the team, he recorded a team-high 29 tackles in 12 games played with three interceptions. According to the Hattiesburg American, Daniels had moved to the safety position for the 2024 season and was expected to be a starter again.