Southern Miss football player shot and killed in his vehicle

Marcus “MJ “Daniels, a defensive back at Southern Miss, was shot and killed Tuesday night at an apartment complex in Hattiesburg, The Associated Press reported.

Daniels, 21, was a starting cornerback for Southern Miss last season after transferring from Ole Miss, according to the Hattiesburg American.

Hattiesburg Police told the American that Daniels was pronounced dead where he was found at the 6300 block of Highway 49. An investigation is underway.

Southern Miss coach Will Hall and other university officials joined police and emergency workers at the scene of the shooting, WDAM-TV reported.

“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.”

Daniels played his first two college seasons at Ole Miss before transferring to Southern Miss in 2023.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, who had 28 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles last season, moved to safety for the 2024 season and was expected to start, the AP reported.

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