High school football player found dead hours before his team’s state championship game ‘was shot and discovered in woods’… as his teammates pay an emotional tribute
- Brandon Smith’s body was reportedly found Sunday evening.
- And now his family says the 17-year-old was shot and killed.
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news.
It turns out that fallen high school football player Brandon Smith was shot and killed.
Smith was found dead Sunday, a day before his Manchester High School football team was scheduled to compete in the Class A Division II finals in Georgia.
And the local news station 11Alive Smith’s family said the 17-year-old died in the shooting, and police said his body was found in the woods.
Before the Manchester High championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons’ teammates honored Smith by holding up his No. 52 jersey as they walked to center field.
The Blue Devils lost the game 28-27, but their coach was extremely proud of the fight they put up.
Brandon Smith went missing on Saturday and was found dead on Sunday.
And his teammates honored him by raising his jersey before the championship game.
Smith and his Manchester High football teammates reached the state championship.
“All these people here in our community, those people watching at home – they’re looking to us for strength tonight,” Stephen Holmes said.
“And these 48 young people, 15, 16, 17 years old, came out and showed it. I’m just super, super proud of them.
11 Alive also reported that Holmes was the one who told Smith’s family that his body had been found.
“I won’t rest until they catch the killer who killed my grandson,” his grandmother said.
Smith’s coach Stephen Holmes praised the “strength” of his team’s players.
Smith’s grandmother added after the tragic death that football was “everything” to him.
Smith died just hours before he was scheduled to take the field in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“His game, all his teammates, football was everything to him. And he wanted to do it. But his life was cut short.
According to the TV channel, citing the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, no charges have yet been filed in connection with the shooting.
A letter released by Meriwether School Principal Robert Griffin and Manchester School Principal Suze Neal said, “We are heartbroken to learn of the tragic and untimely death of one of our student-athletes, Brandon Smith.”
“Manchester High School’s celebration for the Georgia 1-A State Football Championship unfortunately turned into something none of us could have imagined.”