Beloved Ecorse High School sports star fatally shot at stop light in SW Detroit

Ecorse High School mourns fatal shooting of star athlete in SW Detroit

Investigators say a car pulled up and a gunman fired into the car Darnell was in, hitting him multiple times. He later died at the hospital.

ECORSE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Ecorse High School ended the day early so students and staff could mourn the death of a beloved student-athlete lost to gun violence.

Dennell Kemp was as humble as he was talented, said one of his coaches.

"He was a bright spot that you knew was going to do something great and take Ecorse with him," said Dr. Josha Talison, superintendent of Ecorse Public Schools.

When your superintendent knows you and knows you well, you’ve clearly made an impression - and that’s exactly what we’re told about Dennell "Nelly" Kemp.

"I consider all the students in the district my children, so I feel like one of my personal children has been taken away over something senseless," said Talison.

Kemp, 18, was shot at a stop light Monday night at Outer Drive and Fort in Southwest Detroit.

Investigators say a car pulled up, and a gunman fired into the car Kemp was in, hitting him multiple times. He later died at the hospital.

A 43-year-old man at a nearby gas station was also hit by gunfire, an innocent bystander. He was in critical condition at last check, on Tuesday.

The shooter remains at large.

"He wasn't a kid that was in the streets," Talison said. "Because he did so many sports, he was always traveling or doing something positive."

Dennell Kemp / Courtesy: The D Zone

Ecorse police say this shooting could be related to one in their city off 12th Street reported just minutes before the one that took Kemp.

Neighbors told FOX 2 off-camera that they heard a volley of gunfire around 11:30 p.m.

"He was an all-state athlete in baseball, football and basketball," said Talison. "He actually has up to 15 Division 1 scholarships for baseball."

After today's early dismissal, Wednesday classes were canceled.

Mental health professionals will be there all week.

"For not only the students but the staff," he said. "The staff is taking this very hard as the student has been in the district since he was in kindergarten, we have to provide services all the staff.":

Talison says Kemp will be remembered for not only what he did out here, but what he did off the court and field too.

"Even this summer he did a volunteer baseball camp for kids in the community from 5 to 12, just out of sheer love of giving back," Talison said.

Kemp will be honored at Friday's football game with a balloon release and vigil. Ecorse police released a stern warning as it works to investigate the shooting that killed Kemp as well as the incident that happened in their city.