February 19, 6:02 AMCollege Football ExaminerKevin McGuire
No matter how many times it happens it just never seems right. When Connecticut wide receiver Jasper Howard was stabbed to death on campus last October, shocking not only the UConn community but college football fans from coast to coast. Today the family within the Vanderbilt football program are sharing a similar experience in the wake of the shooting death of one of the top recruits who was heading to play college football for the Commodores. Early Thursday morning Rajaan Bennett, running back, was shot and killed in what appears to be a murder-suicide.
Police responded to a 911 call at about 2:30 AM Thursday morning but may have shown up too late. As they arrived at Bennett's home they heard gun shots. It was these shots that killed Bennett and what is reported to be an ex-boyfriend of his mother. Bennett's uncle was also sent to the hospital and was said to be in critical condition.
Bennett had some promise as a college athlete. He was one of the best running backs in the state of Georgia who rushed for close to 1,900 yards last season and scored 28 touchdowns to lead McEachern High School to an undefeated season and a regional championship. The Atlanta Journal Constitution named Bennett the 5A Offensive Player of the Year and he was the to be one of the top recruits in Vanderbilt's history.
But Bennett has scored his last touchdown as a result of a tragic story. Bobby Johnson, who would have been Bennett's head coach at Vanderbilt, took some time to address the media yesterday to comment on Bennett's death. Perhaps needless to say, it was a tough task for Johnson, who had many positive things to say about the running back.
The Vanderbilt coaching staff called their new recruits as early as possible to inform them of the tragic news so they did not hear it first through the news. Bennett's high school has set-up a funeral fund to help pay for funeral, house clean-up and other costs to the family of Bennett. Vanderbilt is spreading the word to their community to hopefully chip in in any way they can. To donate send checks made out to the McEachern Endowment Fund with “Rajaan Bennett Memorial” written in the bottom left corner. McEachern High School’s address is 2400 New Macland Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127. For more information call 770-222-3710.
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