Marcus “MJ” Daniels died Tuesday night after being shot in his vehicle near an apartment complex at the 6300 block of Highway 49 in Hattiesburg.
Daniels, 21, had found success on the football field for Southern Miss, starting at cornerback for the Golden Eagles last season after transferring from Ole Miss.
The Hattiesburg Police Department urged the public to come forward with any information related to Daniels’ death in a released statement:
“We are asking the community for their help and to come forward with any information pertaining to this tragic incident and the untimely death of Marcus Daniels. We will share as much information as possible without jeopardizing the investigation. We are working closely with the university and local officials.”
WDAM-TV reported that Southern Miss officials and head coach Will Hall were on the scene last with emergency personnel.
In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Hall said, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of MJ Daniels. His smile was infectious and lit up the room. Please keep MJ’s loved ones and our Southern Miss family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
In a released statement, Southern Miss expressed condolences to family and friends of Daniels:
“The University of Southern Mississippi and the Department of Athletics mourn the loss of M.J. Daniels, whose life was lost Tuesday evening during an incident that occurred off campus. We send our sincere condolences to his family, friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
Daniels was a star at George County High School before accepting an offer to play football at Ole Miss. After two seasons with the Rebels, he transferred to Southern Miss in 2023. He made an immediate impact, recording 28 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles last season. Daniels was due to return for his senior campaign and was preparing for a move to safety, where he was expected to start.
Daniels played his first two college seasons at Mississippi before transferring to Southern Miss in 2023. He previously starred at George County (Miss.) High School.
Following the news breaking, many expressed heartbreak over the tragedy. The Ole Miss football account on X posted, “Our hearts are broken over the sudden passing of MJ Daniels. Please keep the Daniels family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”
