Former Rutgers Football Player Shot, Killed Sunday Night In Hoboken

HOBOKEN, NJ — A 21-year-old man shot and killed in Hoboken Sunday night was a Hoboken High School football star who was good enough to briefly play Division 1 football at Rutgers.

[UPDATE: A vigil has been planned for Tuesday night and the player's mom has suggested a motive. Read more here.]

Damon Murray was a preferred walk-on player for the Rutgers University football team in 2020, according to Hoboken city officials.

His football career was short lived: He was only enrolled at Rutgers for the fall 2020 semester. He then returned home to help care for his family and was currently working as a teacher's aide, said Hoboken Superintendent of Schools Christine Johnson in a message on Monday.

Murray was fatally shot on Hoboken's West Side late Sunday night. He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center just after 12 a.m. Monday, said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez.

Murray's mother gave a motive in the shooting on Monday night and said she hopes the perpetrator turns himself in. READ MORE: Hoboken Teacher's Aide Mourned After Fatal Shooting

His mother told CBS News Monday night that her son had been killed because of a disagreement over gambling. "He was being a typical boy, gambling, and they had a disagreement," she said, with a message for his killer: "Turn yourself in. Everybody knows it was you, and you're a coward for pulling out a gun over gambling."

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla posted this to X Monday afternoon:

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Damon Murray, a well-respected, standout athlete who gave back to Hoboken youth and our community at large. My deepest condolences go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. May his memory continue to live on through all who knew him."

Murray graduated from Hoboken High School in 2020. At his high school graduation, he was praised in this video from the Board of Education for continuing his education and sports career at Rutgers.

"Damon showed his true grit achieving academic and athletic success with a walk-on position for the Rutgers University football team. We are so proud," read a post from the Hoboken Board of Education.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Hoboken Police received a report of shots fired in the area of 320 Marshall Drive, prosecutors said. Murray was taken by a private vehicle to Jersey City Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and he died there.

The shooting appears to be an isolated incident, and as of Monday afternoon no arrests have been made.

WTG‼️ A congratulations is also due to Damon Murray‼️Damon will be attending Rutgers University and playing for their football team. We are extremely proud of Damon and can’t wait to see what the future holds for him!❤️🏈 https://t.co/9HnBb0SduM
— HobokenHSClassof2020 (@classof2020_hs) March 28, 2020

"It is with a broken heart that I inform you all that last night, April 28, 2024 a young man’s life was cut short on HHA property on Kyelia’s Way by a senseless act of violence," wrote Hoboken Housing Authority Director Marc Recko in a message to residents Monday.

This video tells how Murray and a teammate grew up together playing Hoboken Red Wings football:

Hoboken's last fatal shooting was in the same area where Murray was killed. Chris Garcia, 28, was shot to death in the area of 560 Marshall Drive on Sept. 22, 2022 while trying to break up an argument, friends said. A shooter from Jersey City was later arrested.

READ MORE: Rutgers Football Player, Former Hoboken Teacher's Aide Shot To Death Sunday