CHICAGO—A former standout Morgan Park High School football, who went on to play college ball for Eastern Illinois University, was killed in a shooting in Harvey on July 6.
Harvey police responded to a report of a shooting around 1:15 a.m. near 160th Street and Ashland Avenue when they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound, later identified by the medical examiner as 20-year-old Keshawn Lewis-Hunt.
Officers attempted life-saving measures at the scene. The young man was transported to UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to news reports, Lewis-Hunt had been attending a house party at his grandmother’s house in Harvey when a fight broke out between two women. Harvey police said the 20-year-old was attempting to intervene when gunfire rang out.
Two other men at the party were also injured. The shooter is reportedly still at large, police said.
Lewis-Hunt played both linebacker and running back for the Morgan Park High School football team under Chris James. He was a two-time All-Chicago Public League selection, leading the team to back-to-back 10-2 records. The Morgan Park Mustangs team reached the IHSA Class 5A state quarterfinals in both junior and senior seasons, according to his EIU bio.
He redshirted the 2024 season at EIU and was not listed on the university’s roster for the 2025 or 2026 seasons, WCIU reported. Lewis-Hunt was studying construction management.
Lewis-Hunt’s former youth football coach, Nathan Irons, described the 20-year-old as a peacemaker.
"Key went out being who he was; always trying to de-escalate a situation. He didn't care for the drama," Irons told ABC 7 Chicago.
EIU also issued a statement stating the campus was deeply saddened by the death of the former Panther football student-athlete.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Keshawn's family, friends, teammates and all who knew him, and the University is providing support and resources to those impacted by this loss. Out of respect for the family during this difficult time, the university will have no further comment.”
Eastern Illinois University
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Beverly, IL Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.