Hours after University of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard helped lead the Huskies to a win over Louisville, he suffered a single fatal stab wound to the abdomen.
There has been an outpouring of support for Howard, his family and teammates, and rightfully so.
What happened was a tragic event that unfortunately occurs daily throughout this country, albeit less frequently on college campuses.
Howard’s case, however, is in the spotlight not only because he was a standout on the team, but also because it happened at a university-sanctioned dance on campus. That last part of the equation should hold more weight than his status as an exceptional student athlete.
It should also be noted that Howard came from a particularly rough part of Miami, and had chosen Connecticut because he wanted to get away from the violence that plagued his neighborhood. He was the first in his family to attend college and was expecting a baby with his girlfriend.
This incident should reaffirm what many UH students already know: even institutions of higher learning are susceptible to violence.
The Connecticut team, with the blessing of Howard’s family, has decided to play Saturday’s game against West Virginia and should be applauded for doing so.
Howard’s high school teammate and Clemson cornerback Chris Chancellor announced that he will wear No. 6 in honor of Howard for Saturday’s game against Miami. West Virginia is also encouraging its students to cheer for the Huskies when they take the field as visitors Saturday.
All are fitting tributes, but we as students must ask what more can we do to prevent similar future occurrences. The answer could unfortunately be nothing.
Chancellor may have put it best with his statements to the Associated Press.
‘You think when you send your son off to college, ‘He’s going to be saved,” Chancellor said. ‘You can’t stop violence, wherever you go.’
