Southern Miss football player MJ Daniels was shot dead

Hattiesburg, Miss. — Marcus “MJ” Daniels, a Southern Miss defensive back, was shot to death Tuesday night at an apartment complex in Hattiesburg, a coroner said.

Forrest County Coroner Lisa Clem said Daniels’ body has been sent to the medical examiner for an autopsy.

Daniels, 21, was a starting cornerback for Southern Miss last season after transferring from Ole Miss. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, who had 28 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles last season, moved to safety. The 2024 season is expected to begin.

Southern Miss coach Will Hall and other university officials joined police and emergency personnel at the scene of the shooting, WDAM-TV reported.

Mourning the loss of Southern Miss MJ Daniels 💛

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Daniels family, friends and the Southern Miss community.

🔗 » https://t.co/NI34HYQ1Wy#SMTTT pic.twitter.com/GEN9bD3h3i

— Southern Miss 🔝 (@USMGoldenEagles) June 12, 2024

“The University of Southern Mississippi and the Department of Athletics mourn the loss of MJ Daniels, whose life was lost during an off-campus incident Tuesday evening,” USM said in a statement. “We offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and teammates at this difficult time.”

Daniels played his first two college seasons at Mississippi before transferring to Southern Miss in 2023. He previously starred at George County (Miss.) High School.