'Incredibly bad luck': College baseball player shot during game

A college baseball player was shot during a game in Texas over the weekend after a "disturbance" occurring a few blocks away erupted in gunfire.

Around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, the Eagles of Texas A&M-Texarkana University were in the midst of hosting a battle against the Jaguars of the University of Houston-Victoria at Spring Lake Park in Texarkana, Texas, just across the state's northeastern border with Arkansas. However, at the top of the fifth inning with the Jaguars up 7-4, an 18-year-old member of TAMUT — later reportedly identified as Matthew DeLaney — was standing in the bullpen area when he was unexpectedly struck by a stray bullet.

"Incredibly bad luck, bad place," said Shawn Vaughn of the Texarkana Texas Police Department.

The victim was immediately rushed to nearby Christus St. Michael Hospital, where he then underwent emergency surgery. He is said to be in stable condition, though CBS Texas indicated that he has suffered "a number of serious injuries." The game, which happened to be Senior Day for the Eagles, was canceled soon afterward. It has been officially declared a "no contest." Another scouting event taking place elsewhere in Spring Lake Park was likewise canceled as a precaution. TAMUT also canceled the game its softball team was scheduled to play on Sunday.

The source of the bullet that struck DeLaney was not difficult for investigators to find. According to reports, police quickly determined that two men in a nearby neighborhood had begun arguing and that their argument quickly erupted into violence. One of their shots traveled nearly 400 yards and struck DeLaney at the ballpark. Kamauri Butler, 17, and Demarco Banks, 20, were soon identified as suspects.

Banks, wanted on a charge of deadly conduct, has since turned himself in to the authorities, while Butler, wanted for aggravated assault, remains on the loose, police claimed. Three other men — Yankeengea Smith, 49; Nathan Moore, 19; and Marcell Beaver, 19 — were also arrested in connection to the incident.

The university issued a brief statement following the shooting. "This afternoon during the university’s baseball game at George Dobson Field one of our baseball players was struck by a stray bullet fired during an altercation at a neighborhood adjacent to Spring Lake Park," the statement read in part.

"The university’s counseling services are available to players and other students. At this time we ask that you keep our student athlete, his family, teammates and friends in your prayers," the statement concluded.

Right now, the Eagles sit just above .500 at 23-22 overall and 17-13 in conference play. On Friday, the team is scheduled to travel to Sterlington, Louisiana, to take on the Generals of LSU Alexandria in the Red River Athletic Conference Championships.

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