Suspect Held in Stabbing Death
UPDATE: 10/20/09: On Monday, a Hartford, Connecticut, man was detained in connection with the stabbing death of UConn football player Jasper Howard, police said. According to the New York Daily News, Johnny Hood, 21, was being held on $100,000 bond, charged with interfering with an officer and breach of peace, but had not been charged in the killing.
Witnesses identified him as being involved in the fight, and he gave police a fake name, cops said.
A second Connecticut football player was another victim in Sunday morning’s incident.
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Mother Speaks on Jasper Howard
UPDATE: 10/19/09: Today the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed Howard died of knife wound to his abdomen. His mother, Joangela Howard, had spoken to her son about his good game just hours before UConn coach Randy Edsall called to inform her of his stabbing.
“He was a good child, a wonderful, sweet, loving child,” she told CNN. “I just hope whoever did it turns himself in. [Jasper] didn’t deserve this.”
Police don’t have a suspect, but also shared they don’t believe it is a random act of violence.–CJ
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UConn Star Football Player Killed in Campus Brawl
Jasper Howard, 20, a native of Miami, was stabbed to death early Sunday morning. He was a junior and football player for the University of Connecticut who was killed after attending a student dance on campus, according to CNN.com.
Someone pulled the fire alarm and more than 300 people ran out of the university center, according to campus police. A fight then broke out between two groups, and Howard plus another unidentified person were stabbed. Howard died from his injuries while the other victim was treated at the hospital and released.
UConn police and the Connecticut State Police are investigating the incident and have yet to name a suspect but do not believe that this was a random act of violence.
UConn coach Randy Edsall says the entire football team is heartbroken, devastated and upset over Howard’s death and revealed that he was going to be a father.–WLW