Tragedy has struck the community of Harvey, Illinois, as a promising young athlete, once a part of the Eastern Illinois University (EIU) football team, fell victim to gun violence earlier this week.
The grim confirmation came from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, identifying the victim as 20-year-old Keshawn Lewis-Hunt. He died on July 6 after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
In the wake of this devastating news, Eastern Illinois University expressed its sorrow over the loss of one of its former student-athletes, a member of their beloved Panthers.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Keshawn’s family, friends, teammates, and all who knew him,” read a statement issued by the university. They emphasized the community’s commitment to supporting those affected, noting that no further comments would be made to respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.
Officials said Lewis-Hunt was shot and killed in Harvey, which is about two hours north of Champaign. According to the City of Harvey, police responded to the 16000 block of Ashland Avenue for a reported shooting around 1:17 a.m. on July 6.
Once police got on the scene, they found one person, later identified as Lewis-Hunt, suffering from “an apparent gunshot wound.” He was taken to UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead.
Police said several other people were wounded by gunfire and self-transported to the hospital. At this time, law enforcement do not believe there is any danger to the public. Anyone with more information should reach out to the Harvey Police Department Detective Division at 708-331-3030 ext. 226.
WCIA’s sister station WGN reported the shooting stemmed from a fight that broke out at a house party. The suspect is still at-large. WCIA reached out to the police department for further information on the investigation, but did not immediately receive a response back.
Lewis-Hunt redshirted the 2024 season at EIU and was not listed on the university’s roster for the 2025 or 2026 seasons. According to his bio, Lewis-Hunt played at Morgan Park High School and was a two-time All-Chicago Public League selection. His team reached the IHSA Class 5A state quarterfinals during both his junior and senior seasons.