A star Massachusetts basketball player who led his high school to a state championship was reportedly shot dead days before his first college game.
Carl-Hens Beliard, an 18-year-old freshman at Salem State University, was found with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, the New York Post reported, citing officials. He was later pronounced dead at Salem Hospital. A suspect has since been arrested, with police saying he didn’t seem to act randomly, according to the Boston Globe.
“This does not appear to be a random act of violence or that there is any ongoing threat to the SSU community,” Salem police said, per the NY Post.
Later that night, the office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker announced police had placed 18-year-old Missael Pena Canela under arrest and charged him with murder, according to the Globe. Canela is reportedly from Salem, Massachusetts.
The mother of 18-year-old Carl-Hens Beliard sat down with @NBC10Boston just hours after the standout @SalemState basketball player was shot and killed near campus, pleading for justice
Tonight, police are still searching for his killer. pic.twitter.com/VqbFWFasMK
— Darren Botelho (@DarrenBotelho) November 1, 2023
Information regarding how law enforcement identified the suspect has not yet been released, per the NY Post.
“This senseless gun violence is tragic not only for the victim’s family but for the SSU community and beyond,” Tucker said in a statement cited by the outlet.
“As both the Salem State president and a college dad, this tragedy is heartbreaking for all in our community and every parent’s worst nightmare,” Salem State University president John Keenan said in a press release. (RELATED: Powerhouse College Basketball Program To Potentially Join Rising Super Conference: REPORT)