Top High School Athlete Shot By Mothers Ex Boyfriend

[Tony Trader]

A high school football star who had signed to play at Vanderbilt University was shot to death early Thursday by his mother's ex-boyfriend shortly after police arrived to investigate a report of a person with a weapon, authorities said.

Officers heard four or five gunshots around 2:30 a.m. as they arrived at the home where Rajaan Bennett, 18, lived with his mother, said Powder Springs Maj. Charles Spann. Inside they found Bennett, a running back at McEachern High School who was rated among Georgia's top college football prospects, dead of a gunshot wound.

Boyd said Clifton Steger, 39, of Milledgeville shot Bennett and then killed himself. Bennett's uncle, Taiwan Hunter, 32, was wounded and underwent surgery. He was in critical condition Thursday afternoon. His mother, Narjaketha Bennett, and two other children were unharmed.

It was not clear what prompted the shooting, but Spann said there was no sign of a struggle. He also said there had been no previous reports of domestic violence at the west Georgia home.

"We are still investigating," he said. "We won't make any assumptions until we finish our investigation."

McEachern football coach Kyle Hockman said while Bennett excelled on the football field _ he rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 28 touchdowns last season _ he also led an exemplary life outside of sports.

"He was an All-State football player, but he was a better person," he said. "He touched the lives of thousands."

Bennett picked Vanderbilt over other schools because he felt it would help better prepare him for life after football, Hockman said. Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson said in a statement that Bennett "was an extraordinary young man and an ideal fit" for his program.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother Narjaketha and family members," he said. "I know he meant so much to them."

Bennett, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had an outsized reputation at McEachern, a sprawling school on the outskirts of west Atlanta that sports a football field in the middle of campus.

[Shelli]

OMG!!!! How sad.  This kid had his entire life ahead of him

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

[lipstick_xoxos]

Very sad story. What a senseless tragedy.

Lips