CINCINNATI — The DePaul Cristo Rey community is remembering one of their recent graduates, 19-year-old Emanuel Hayes, who died Sunday night after someone shot him in Westwood.
On Monday, the school released a statement on social media saying in part, "Emanuel was known and loved by our community and his death is an enormous loss. Those who were gifted to know him remember him as funny, outgoing, always polite, and always positive.
"His death leaves us shaken and heartbroken, yet as a Catholic, Christian community we lean on our faith and each other. Please pray for Emanuel’s family and friends as they, and we, mourn his loss."
Former classmates and teachers gathered to share stories about Hayes. His friends say they still would come back to campus and attend open gyms and talk about the future.
"He's always been there for people," said Jullius Nelson, Hayes' classmate and teammate. "He would always make sure everybody else was OK and put his feelings or whatever he was going through to the side — whether it was helping me through tough times or having fun on the basketball court, or just event in and outside the school."
About four weeks ago, Hayes walked across the stage and graduated from DePaul Cristo Rey. It was a celebration after learning through a pandemic. His friends remember him as a leader who came up in the big moments.
"It made you happy to see him make other people happy," said Marchino Kidd, another classmate and teammate. "He was kind of always there for me in everything but academics, and I was always there for him academically."
Sunday's news hit Kidd especially hard because he was with Hayes hours before the shooting happened.
"He was going down the stairs, said, 'Alright bo, stay safe,'" said Kidd, echoing the last words he heard from Hayes. "If I knew what would've happened, I would've told him to stay here. I wouldn't have let him leave."
Kidd said he called Hayes around 7 p.m. Sunday but he never heard from him. Cincinnati police said around 5 p.m. officers responded to a double shooting at an apartment complex in Westwood. Officers said someone dropped off Hayes at UC Medical Center, but he later died.
"It was a very emotional environment, but it was good to be there with people who love not only you, but him and share their experiences," Nelson said describing the gathering at his alma mater.
His friends said they don't know why he was over at the apartment complex or why this happened. WCPO is still waiting to hear from Cincinnati police about any potential suspects and whether or not officers arrested anyone.
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