Southern Mississippi Football Player MJ Daniels Shot and Killed: Police

Mississippi State Bulldogs and Southern Miss Golden Eagles d1h at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 18, 2023. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Marcus “MJ ”Daniels, a defensive back at Southern Miss, was shot and killed Tuesday night in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, officials said. He was 21.

According to Hattiesburg Police, Mr. Daniels was found in his vehicle at the 6300 block of Highway 49. An investigation is underway. Investigators confirmed that the collegiate athlete had been shot and pronounced him dead on the scene.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the Daniels family. We are doing all that we can to locate the perpetrators to bring justice to the victim and his family,” Hattiesburg Police Chief Hardy Sims said in a public statement.

“We are asking the community for their help and to come forward with any information pertaining to this tragic incident and the untimely death of Marcus Daniels,” the police chief said. “We will share as much information as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. We are working closely with the university and local officials.”

Hattiesburg Police said they won’t provide further details at this time as the investigation is ongoing.

The police encourage anyone with information to contact the detectives at [phone]. Anonymous tips can also be left at www.p3tips.com.

A native of Lucedale, Mississippi, Mr. Daniels played the first two seasons of his college football career at Ole Miss before transferring to Southern Miss in 2023. He was a starting cornerback last fall and moved to safety for the 2024 season.

In his lone season with the Golden Eagles, the senior registered 29 tackles in 12 games played and tied for the team lead in interceptions with three, according to the university.

“The University of Southern Mississippi and the Department of Athletics mourn the loss of M.J. Daniels whose life was lost Tuesday evening during an incident that occurred off campus,” the university said in a statement. “We send our sincere condolences to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”

The school said counseling services will be made available to his teammates and other members of the school affected by the tragedy.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of MJ Daniels,” Southern Miss head coach Will Hall wrote on X. “His smile was infectious and lit up the room. Please keep MJ’s loved ones and our Southern Miss family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

One of the 13 members of the Sun Belt Conference, Southern Miss will open the fall season with four straight non-conference games. It will first face Kentucky on Aug. 31, and then host Southeastern Louisiana and USF before a road game at Jacksonville State on Sept. 28.