There was another senseless act of violence on Tuesday as four teenagers were injured and one 14-year-old boy was killed in a shooting at the Roxborough High School. Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts was at “a loss for words” following this most recent tragedy, and the 24-year-old has decided to speak out on the incident.
The shooting took place after a football scrimmage between teams of three different high schools in the same locality. According to Hurts, it's such a shame that another shooting has transpired, and what makes it much worse is the fact that it happened to young kids who were doing something that they loved (h/t Josh Tolentino of the Philadelphia Inquirer):
“It’s very sad,” Hurts said. “Kids are doing what they love in a place where it’s supposed to be safe, where we say, ‘Go chase your dreams.’ They’re out there playing football, and they don’t make it home. It’s just very unfortunate. I’m praying for the families. I pray for change.”
This isn't the first time Jalen Hurts has spoken out about gun violence. The Eagles quarterback has been vocal against this issue, and it's just sad that he has to let his voice be heard again after another incident.
Eagles veteran defensive end Brandon Graham echoed his teammate's sentiments on the matter. Graham, who is also part of the team's social justice leadership council, provided a heart-wrenching message as he addressed the Roxborough High School shooting:
“It [stinks] when you’re trying to get away from all of the violence by doing something productive with yourself; these are kids at a football game,” Graham said. “I’m thinking, ‘Ain’t no way somebody is just going to run up on me.’ Those kids probably had their guard down; I know how it is now with social media and knowing where others are in real time. At the end of the day, the penalty needs to be higher for all these people making bad decisions without second-guessing their actions. People think they can beat the system.
“There’s a lot of hurt in this world. A lot of people can’t control their emotions, and killing someone might be their No. 1 choice because they don’t have anything else to live for other than violence. But this is hitting too close to home.
“Kids escape violence by finding an outlet through sports. Football is supposed to be a brotherhood, a safe space. That was extremely tragic for this city. And until you put more money in the areas that are struggling, it’s only going to get worse.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of all those who are affected by this shooting.
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