Ladarius Clardy/Photo Courtesy of Kennesaw State University
Ladarius Clardy, an 18-year-old football quarterback and a sophomore student at Georgia’s Kennesaw State University, was killed on July 1 in Florida after someone allegedly fired over 50 shots into his car. The vehicle then crashed into an embankment, Fox 5 reported, leading to a cyclist noticing the grisly scene and alerting medics.
According to Fox 5, an unnamed 19-year-old was also in the car during the shooting.
Clardy was in the Florida Panhandle when the incident occurred. Hailing from Pensacola, Florida, the young football star attended the city’s Pine Forest High School. He held the school’s all-time passing record before settling on Kennesaw State in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Pointing out the intentional nature of the crime, a local sheriff said in a press statement obtained by Fox 5, “This was an intentional act. Someone fired over 50 rounds into the car, most of them into the car door, the driver’s door. And the injuries that Ladarius Clardy suffered ultimately took his life,”
On whether or not the unnamed passenger was injured in the gunfire, he
continued, “Ladarius had just been in town for a couple of hours. He plays ball at Kennesaw State, and he had just come to town a couple of hours before this, and he was with a friend of his. I do not yet know his condition. Last I heard, he was in surgery.”Related Post: Jaslyn Adams, 7, Dead After Assailants Fire At Least 50 Rounds At Her Father’s Car
Kennesaw State’s head football coach Brian Bohannon also released a statement. Acknowledging Clardy’s positivity and team-building skills, he stated, “We are devastated and heartbroken over the death of Ladarius Clardy. Ladarius was an excellent teammate and left a mark on this program with his positive attitude. He will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ladarius’ family at this difficult time.”
Student-athletes will have the option to attend grief counseling through Kennesaw State’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS).