University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe was fatally shot early Sunday in Salt Lake City.
“We are devastated to hear about the passing of Aaron Lowe,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Aaron’s family and friends, along with the other individual who was harmed in this tragic incident. Aaron was a great teammate, friend, brother and son and was loved by anyone who crossed paths with him. He will be deeply missed.”
Salt Lake City police said Lowe, 21, died on the scene in a shooting at a house party in the city’s Sugar House neighborhood. A second person, a woman who was not identified, also was shot and was in critical condition at a local hospital.
Police said they first received a call at 10:30 p.m. Saturday about a noise complaint for the house party and then received a second call at 12:20 a.m. Sunday about a fight involving a weapon.
No arrests have been made.
“Aaron was a terrific young man, a leader on our football team, and a rock of resiliency and courage,” Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said in a statement. “We have been in communication with Aaron’s family and we are providing support to them, as well as to the student-athletes, coaches and staff in all of our athletics programs, and our focus will remain on them.”
Lowe, a defensive back, was in his third season at Utah and appeared in each of the Utes’ first four games this season, including Utah’s win Saturday over Washington State.
A native of Mesquite, Texas, Lowe was the school’s first recipient of the Ty Jordan Memorial Scholarship, created to honor the former Utah running back who died last December. Jordan and Lowe were high school teammates in Mesquite. After Jordan died, Lowe switched his jersey number from No. 2 to No. 22 to honor his friend.
“This talented young man touched the lives of so many here in Salt Lake City and in Texas,” Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown said in a statement. “The Salt Lake City Police Department grieves with and offers our condolences to the Lowe family and the University of Utah community. Our condolences also extend to the other person injured in this shooting. I hope for their quick recovery. These investigations are complex. Our detectives have been hard at work trying to identify the suspect or suspects in this case.”
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox also tweeted his condolences, saying, “Our prayers are with his family at this terribly difficult time.”
ESPN’s Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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