The story of Jasper Howard wasn't supposed to end in murder. A gifted football player from Miami Edison Senior High, a troubled inner-city school, was recruited by University of Connecticut. He had dreams of supporting his mother, and also had a son on the way.
But on Saturday, after helping his team with a big win, the starting cornerback attended a school-sponsored dance and was stabbed to death when a fight broke out.
Police have arrested one man in connection with the stabbing, 21-year-old Johnny Hood. He's being charged with interfering with an officer and breaching the peace. Police believe he was involved in the fight, and gave officers a fake name, but aren't fingering him as the murder suspect. No suspects have been identified yet.
Meanwhile, Howard's family back home is grieving.
"All he wanted to do was just make a career of his life and help me, that's all he used to tell me. They took him away from me," his mother, Joangila Howard, told CBS4.