An Iona College basketball recruit was reportedly shot dead near his Chicago home Thursday night.
Michael Haynes, 22, was attempting to break up a fight over a stolen necklace close to his Far South Side residence and was shot in the wrist, chest and lower back about 5:10 p.m., the Chicago Sun Times reported. He was declared dead at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island a little more than an hour later, the paper reported. Haynes’ tragic passing comes just three weeks before he was going to head to Iona to start his Division I basketball career.
“The Iona family is devastated with the news of Michael’s passing,” Iona head coach Tim Cluess said in a statement. “His passion, energy and excitement for his opportunity this year makes this tragedy even more upsetting. Our sincere condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
The 6-foot-7 Haynes, who originally signed with UTEP, averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last season for Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. He was the No. 11 ranked recruit in the state of Illinois by ChicagoHoops.com and averaged 17 points and 22 rebounds during his breakout junior season at Washington High School.
Haynes was a part of Iona’s seven-member recruiting class that includes DaSean Anderson, Grant Ellis, A.J. English, DaShawn Gomez, David Laury and Brandon Parga.