By Prince Hakeem
Hip-HopVibe.com Staff Writer
Some unfortunate news involving 6th round draft pick Corey Ballentine(right). Just hours after being drafted with the 180th pick by the New York Giants, both Ballentine and a former college teammate were involved in a shooting incident. The shooting took place at an off-campus party Saturday night/early Sunday morning in Topeka, Kansas. Ballentine was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, while his Washburne University teammate Dwane Simmons(left), 23, was killed in the shooting.
Aside from being teammates, Simmons and Ballentine were roommates as well. Representatives for Washburne stated that Simmons and Ballentine were really close, always with one another. Simmons was set to have a breakout senior season next year.
A preliminary investigation reports that officers responded to calls of gunfire on Sunday around 12:45 a.m. to the 1400 block of 13th Street in Topeka. The shooting apparently took place during a social gathering outside the residence. Reports indicate that Simmons, who was among those in the group outside, died in the street from a gunshot wound.
Washburn University President Dr. Jerry Farley confirmed the news through a statement to the campus community.
“We come to you this morning with sad and difficult news. Early this morning two of our students were the victims of an off-campus shooting. Dwane Simmons, a junior and a member of the football team, was killed in the incident. In addition, Corey Ballentine, a senior, was injured. Ballentine is expected to make a full recovery.”
“Any time we lose a student it is a sad occasion, but it is particularly poignant to lose a student through such a senseless act,” Farley wrote. “Both Dwane and Corey have been great examples and representatives of the football team and of Washburn University in general. This was a terrible way to end a day which should have been a day of celebration and a day to look forward to Dwane’s upcoming year at Washburn and the beginning of Corey’s professional career.”
The Giants also released statement regarding the tragic event.
