Ball State freshman Gavin Yates-Lyons has died at age 18 following a shooting in Tallahassee, Florida. The school confirmed the tragic news Sunday, extending condolences to his family, friends, coaches, and teammates. The defensive back was caught in crossfire at a parking garage on May 24.

Yates-Lyons, who finished high school early at Lowndes County High in Georgia, enrolled at Ball State in January. He traveled to Tallahassee specifically for his graduation ceremony, which took place the day before he was shot. The 18-year-old was transported to a hospital in critical condition before passing away on Saturday.

The university expressed deep sorrow, calling his death a "challenging moment." Yates-Lyons' promising football career ended tragically before he could complete his freshman season. 18-year-old defensive back leaves behind a grieving campus community still processing the loss of one of its youngest student-athletes.