A promising 19-year-old high school football player was killed in Compton, California, last Thursday night in what a family friend described as a "senseless" murder motivated by the theft of his hat. The victim, identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office as William Leapart, was found dead at the scene shortly before 10 p.m. after Los Angeles County deputies responded to reports of a shooting.
Leapart, a star cornerback and wide receiver for the Tustin High School Tillers, was driving his car in Compton when he was shot. His vehicle subsequently crashed head-on into a utility pole.
Curtis “Spider Loc” Williams, a rapper and football coach who knew Leapart and his family, stated that the shooter targeted Leapart for the hat he was wearing. "William was killed by the streets. William didn’t gangbang. He did well in school and he had a loving family,” Williams said in a social media video, questioning why Black lives are not valued by members of the Black community. Leapart maintained a 3.4 grade point average and had expressed aspirations of playing college football, seeking recruitment by Black colleges.
His former team, Tustin High School, paid tribute to Leapart on social media, remembering him as a quiet, humble student-athlete who set a high standard. "Once a Tiller, Always a Tiller,” read a post from the team’s Instagram profile, extending thoughts and prayers to Leapart’s family.
Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have taped off the area where the incident occurred and are continuing their investigation. As of the latest reports, no suspect has been identified or apprehended.
