West Virginia State football player Jyilek Harrington was killed on Wednesday in a shooting that is being investigation as a home invasion. He was 21 years old.
Harrington was a senior member of the Yellow Jackets, a Division II program. He transferred to the school in 2024 from Carson-Newman and previously played at Erskine College. He posted eight tackles in the program's 27-24 season-opening win against Barton College.
"Jyilek truly embodied what it meant to be a student-athlete and was a leader not only on campus but in the community," athletic director Nate Burton said in a statement. "The athletic department is creating a fund in memory of Jyilek, and all donations will be distributed to an organization in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, to finish his work."
Charleston Police claim multiple gunshots were fired during a disturbance at an apartment complex, where Harrington was found with multiple wounds and declared dead at the scene. There have not been any suspects identified in the shooting.
West Virginia State will hold a moment of silence for Harrington before the program's home opener on Thursday night against Harrington's former school, Carson-Newman.
"Carson-Newman joins West Virginia State in mourning the untimely passing of former student-athlete Jyilek Harrington," Carson-Newman athletic director 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."
