Ball State football confirmed that 18-year-old defensive back Gavin Yates-Lyons died Saturday, May 30 following a shooting in Tallahassee, Florida on May 24.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — An incoming Ball State freshman football player has died after being shot in a Florida parking garage last week.
Ball State football confirmed that 18-year-old defensive back Gavin Yates-Lyons died Saturday, May 30.
According to NBC affiliate WALB in Georgia, Yates-Lyons was critically injured in a shooting early in the morning on Sunday, May 24.
WALB reports that the shooting occurred in a parking garage in Tallahassee, Florida and that police believed it may have been the result of an “unsanctioned pop-up party.”
Yates-Lyons reportedly had just graduated from Lowndes County High School, which is located in Valdosta, Georgia, hours before the shooting.
“We extend sincere condolences to his family, friends, coaches, teammates and all who held him close. May you find comfort and strength during this challenging moment,” Ball State Football wrote in a statement.
We mourn the passing of Gavin Yates-Lyons.
We extend sincere condolences to his family, friends, coaches, teammates and all who held him close. May you find comfort and strength during this challenging moment. pic.twitter.com/nXiQP0ZM8c
— Ball State Football (@BallStateFB) May 31, 2026