High school football star Dexter Rentz Jr. was looking forward to his first year in college. The 18-year-old from Orlando, Florida, had just signed a letter of intent with the University of Louisville. But on April 25, he died in a shooting that left three others injured, according to the Orlando Police Department.
At the scene of the shooting, Rentz was found with a gunshot wound in a car and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), where he was pronounced dead, Click Orlando reported.
Three other victims were hospitalized. One victim was listed in serious condition but is expected to survive, police said.
Police have yet to release the names and ages of the other shooting victims since the investigation is ongoing. The shooting is not believed to be random but investigators are not sure who was the specific target.
Rentz had signed a football scholarship in December with the University of Louisville. He would have been a wide receiver for the Louisville Cardinals.
During his sophomore year at Ocoee High School in 2017, he set a state record when he intercepted five passes in a single game.
“He was a team captain, had 1,700 all-purpose yards, ran a 4.5 40-yard dash…He also was a track standout,” ESPN reported.
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“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Dexter Rentz,” Louisville coach Scott Satterfield said in a statement. “He was a great young man who had a contagious personality and was able to light up a room with his smile. He was a great kid to be around and he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Rentz family during this extremely difficult time.”
Josh Minkins, another Louisville signee who was planning to be college roommates with Rentz, remembered him in a tweet, The New York Post reported.
“I’m over here hurt typing this, all the conversations we had and the time when you came to The Ville and I first met you I knew you was destined for big things,” Minkins wrote. “It’s crazy we was about to be roommates and all, I hate they took you from us dawg. I’ll make sure you name lives on.”
