Former Wyandanch High School Star Running Back Alonte Shipp Shot, Killed On Long Island
WYANDANCH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A former Wyandanch High School star running back was gunned down on Long Island on Monday, leaving family and friends devastated and left to pick up the pieces just weeks before what would have been his 21st birthday
Vonteshia Napper wiped away tears as she shared with CBS2's Thalia Perez memories of her younger brother, Alonte Shipp.
"Glad I got to spend the time I did with him. I'm glad he was with me the night they took him away from me," she said.
Shipp was a sophomore at Hudson Valley Community College upstate, but he was known around Wyandanch as a star running back with NFL dreams.
At Wyandanch High School, friends gathered and held candles. A memorial was set up honoring the 20-year-old with candles spelling out his initials.
"He was just the best. I love my little brother, and I'm going to miss him. I'm truly going to miss him," Napper said.
Shipp's sister says her brother and a female friend were in front of the home at 61 Lake Drive just after 4:30 a.m. Monday when a gunman rolled up and opened fire.
She believes the gunman was the female friend's jealous ex-boyfriend.
"He was a good kid. He didn't deserve that," said Lakiecha Sexton, Shipp's mother.
This is the second tragedy for this family. They say in 2010, Shipp's brother Tyler, who was 15 years old, was gunned down on the very same street. His killer is still on the loose.
"I don't understand when you young people are going with these guns and taking lives and taking lives. When you take one life, you're intervening in other people's lives," Sexton said.
So far, no arrests have been made, and police are asking anyone with information to give them a call.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.