Former SXU Football Player Shot To Death

CHICAGO, IL — Joshua Hunter, a former football player at Saint Xavier University who was a redshirt member of the team during their 2011 National Championship season, died this week at age 25. Hunter was the victim of a shooting last Friday in south suburban Dolton and died four days later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

"Josh was a hard-working, respectable young man and our SXU Football family is devastated by the news of his passing," SXU Football Head Coach Mike Feminis said. "It is extremely difficult to try and wrap your head around something like this that seems so senseless and cruel. Our heart goes out to Josh's family and we will certainly keep them in our thoughts and prayers."

Hunter was shot in the 15500 block of Drexel Avenue in Dolton around 3:25 p.m. on May 4, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. He died around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday night while at Christ.

The Saint Xavier University community and its football program are mourning Hunter's passing. The 2015 SXU alum was with the Cougars' football team from 2011-2015. On the field, he compiled more than 900 rushing yards and six touchdowns over four seasons. Academically, he studied sociology at the school.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Josh's family through this difficult time," the school wrote in a statement on Thursday.

Hunter is the second member of the school's 2011 National Championship team to have died. AJ Nichols, the kicker on the team that year, died in 2017.

A resident of South Holland and a Thornridge High School alum, Hunter will be remembered at a memorial service beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 11 at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Harvey. A candlelight vigil will be held that night beginning at 7 p.m. at the Thornwood High School football field in South Holland.