"Everyone loved him': Sacramento City College football player Justin McAllister dies after practice
SACRAMENTO – A California community college football player died after practice on Monday, officials said.
In a statement Monday, the Los Rios Community College District confirmed that a Sacramento City College football player had died following practice. No cause of death was known.
"We at Sacramento City College and the Los Rios Community College District simply cannot imagine the pain that this young man's family and loved ones are dealing with right now. All of our thoughts are with them at this time of unthinkable grief," said Gabe Ross with Los Rios.
Ross said grief counselors will be available for students and teammates on campus Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the family of the player confirmed his name was Justin McAllister.
Justin, a twin, was a three-sport athlete, having played basketball, baseball, and football. He attended Delta High School in Clarksburg, where he became the first student-athlete to receive a football scholarship in decades, his mother, Mary McAllister, said. He then played at Western Oregon University for a year, but when the opportunity came to play locally, he came back in order to be closer to family and friends.
"Everyone loved him," said Mary.
Justin's official cause of death has not been released.