The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Volume 95 Issue 24
LOCAL
Football players in ‘fair condition’ Senior Martez Smith and juniors Deddrick Jones and Tim Green remain hospitalized after suffering gunshots early Sunday morning. Printz Staff Three Southern Miss football players were shot early Sunday morning at Remington’s Hunt Club in Hattiesburg, soon after the team’s win against Central Florida. At around 1: 30 a.m. senior Martez Smith, and juniors Tim Green and Deddrick Jones, all interdisciplinary studies majors at USM, were shot in the night club’s parking lot. Smith and Green are linebackers, and Jones is a defensive end for the Golden Eagles. All three are listed in stable condition right now, but no specifics have been released concerning their injuries. According
to a statement released by President Martha Saunders, “Martez Smith and Tim Green have significant injuries. The injury to Ded-
Martez Smith
drick Jones is less severe.” Coach Larry Fedora said Green is unable to verbally communicate but has been writing notes to communicate with his visitors. Fedora said eight to ten other players were at the club, but, from what he has learned, were not involved in the altercation. Fedora
Deddrick Jones
said he has not talked to the three players about the incident. “I have not said one word about it to them,” he said. “I have not asked them a single question. Right now, that is not what I am concerned with for those three guys. My main concern is that those guys get out of
Tim Green
the hospital. I talked about the incident with some of the other players who were there after the team meeting last night to see if I could get some insight. Any information that I have gotten I have passed along to the investigating officer, which is why I cannot comment about it.” Concerning the team’s coping, Fedora said, “We are going to treat it as a normal week, but we have grief counselors around, and we also have a team chaplain who is very close to all of our guys. We talked about as a coaching staff in our meetings what to be aware of and what to look for in these guys. We have assigned buddies to each player so they can watch each other.” In a statement released Sunday, Saunders said that the
See SHOOTING, 3
ON CAMPUS
Vigil held for injured Golden Eagles USM’s Wesley Foundation held a vigil Monday evening for the three injured football players.
As candlelight flickered and a solemn silence hushed the Wesley Foundation, students gathered to commemorate the three injured USM football players in a vigil service Monday night. Students came together hugging and comforting one another while sharing their concerns for the players’ conditions and offering hope for their families.
Senior Shawn Foles began the service by thanking everyone for attending and for expressing concern for “these members of our family.” Foles repeated throughout the service that students at USM are working together to encourage the players as well as their families by being “a light” to help guide them in this “dark time.” USM senior Andy Fontenot said he was shocked by the shootings. “I knew this kind of thing happened, but I didn’t think it would happen here in Hattiesburg, espe-
cially to our players,” Fontenot said. “They didn’t deserve this. They are good people.” As the vigil continued, heads were bowed and whispers circled the room as students said prayers for the players’ health and future. Foles then read from Matthew 7:7-8 and explained the importance of holding a vigil and the effects a vigil can have through “the power of prayer.” USM alumna Elizabeth Romano attended the vigil to not only to commemorate players but also
FEDORA RAISE
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Hannah Jones Printz Writer
express her Christian beliefs. “Prayer is important,” Romano said. “It brings together the community and lets people really see that you are there to help them even if it is not directly. Your immediate reaction is ‘How did this happen? What caused this, and what can we do.’” Fontenot said, directed to the players and their families, “We are praying for y’all.” “We’re not going to forget about you,” Fontenot said. “We are all wondering if everything is going to be okay; we’re right there with you.” The Wesley Foundation’s campus minister, Patrick Hutto said
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that he hoped that the vigil would “show the event as a way to draw them [player’s families] together and strengthen their faith in this time of trial.” Hutto also said he was grateful for students’ interest in holding a vigil. “All of the students are supporting each other,” Hutto said. “It expresses a sense of community on campus. I think it’s wonderful.” Students wishing to receive grief counseling may visit Campus Minister, Patrick Hutto, at the Wesley Foundation Campus Ministry Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
INDEX Calendar .................. 2 Soduku ..................... 2 Comics ...................... 2 News .......................... 3 Feature ...................... 5 Opinion ...................... 9 Arts & Ent. ................. 10 Sports ....................... 11