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Carl-Hens Beliard, an incoming freshman at Salem State University, was shot and killed just days before his first collegiate game. Beliard was 18 years old.
A suspect in the killing, Missael Pena Canela, also 18, has been arrested, according to the Boston Globe.
Beliard was found in the early hours of Wednesday morning inside of a vehicle with gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead.
The shooting occurred in a parking lot across from the university’s athletic facilities.
“This does not appear to be a random act of violence or that there is any ongoing threat to the SSU community,” Salem police stated.
On behalf of the City of Worcester, I am heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of 18-year-old Carl Hens Beliard, a North High School graduate and student at Salem State University. Carl was a member of the 2023 State Championship winning basketball team, Carl was a… pic.twitter.com/XXau726Zq6
— Joe Petty (@MayorJoePetty) November 1, 2023
Beliard recently helped his high school team win the Massachusetts state championship. He said he planned to study exercise science in college and eventually pursue a doctorate in physical therapy.
“He was a great kid, smart, smart student, he had a smile that would just brighten up any room when he would open his mouth, so we lost a really, really good one today, unfortunately,” Beliard’s basketball coach and dean of students at Worcester’s North High School Al Pettway told the Globe.
“I had just spoken to him about a month ago, he was excited about school, enjoying himself, he sent me his basketball schedule so I was excited about going to watch him play. College basketball starts very shortly, so I was really excited about going to see him play in uniform, and unfortunately that’s not gonna happen.”
Our deepest condolences go out to Beliard’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult and tragic time.
