News
DCB freshman's life ends in tragedy
Tyler Ohmann
05/21/2013
Less than a week after completing his first year of college at Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) 19-year-old Dashamone McCarty returned home only to be tragically gunned down in Maywood, Ill.
Maywood, a suburb of Chicago, was surprised as was the DCB community to lose McCarty, who used sports as a way to keep away from drugs and gang violence.
According to articles in Chicago area newspapers there are no suspects and no clear motive or notion of whether McCarty was the intended target of the bullet.
All that has been reported is that shortly before 11 p.m. last Wednesday evening McCarty and two friends were riding in a car near 4th Ave. and Fillmore Street on their way to get food. That is when five shots rang out in succession and one struck McCarty in the head.
McCarty was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center where he died at 8:15 a.m. according to a Chicago Sun Times article.
The news spread that the football and basketball athlete known to friends as “Spuddy” at DCB had been shot and killed and it stunned the campus.
“Our college community is saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students,” stated DCB dean Ken Grosz. “Dashamone was a vibrant young man who we looked forward to seeing again in the fall. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, teammates and classmates”
McCarty, known on his facebook as Deshawn McCarthy, was on a full-ride scholarship to initially play football. He was later recruited to play basketball for DCB first-year head coach Cory Fehringer.
It didn’t take long for McCarty’s influence to spread throughout campus, where he was known as a hard-worker who kept his nose to the ground and heart on the grass and hardwood.
“If there was a member of this team who you would consider to be the identity of the Lumberjack way, he would be the one that represents us on a daily basis,” Fehringer said. “Through his work ethic, his ability to be a great teammate, his loyalty, and the fact that he works his tail off day in and day out really stands for the type of person that he was.”
The biggest attribute that the DCB community conveyed was the respect the McCarty showed while he was at DCB.
“He was a very nice young man who had a great attitude,” stated DCB Athletic Director Scott Johnson. “I had the chance to speak to him on numerous occasions and he was always respectful.”
He touched numerous lives in Bottineau, if only through little things that he did to teachers, including Crystal Grenier, who was his yoga instructor for the past semester.
“I liked to call him Dash or Shawn, depending on my day, and of course, he never corrected me,” Grenier stated. “Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is unfortunate for anyone, and now we have lost a gentle giant with crazy dreadlocks.”
Grenier said she focused on the memories they shared to help her cope through his tragic and untimely death.
“Many times I wanted to offer him one of my hair ties as he bent over to do his down dog,” Grenier stated. “A good guy who worked hard to better his best. ‘May you rest in final relaxation forever’ – Shavasana. Namaste.”
The DCB community, fought through the grief, and sprang into action over the past week to try and do as much as they can to help McCarty’s family and friends back home. Fehringer and assistant Athletic Director Dano Fagerlund have organized a basketball camp fundraiser to be hosted on June 19-20 to help offset funeral costs and other expenses for McCarty’s family. They also rounded up his jerseys and other memorabilia of his past year at DCB to send home to his family.
“I know that this year it’s not going to be about the win/loss record, it’s not going to be about where we finish it, each day is going to be about going to work for Dashamone,” Fehringer said. “Because we have an opportunity that he no longer has. I know that the players from last year are really hurt and are struggling, but I also know that the only way to repay Dashamone back for what he did in their lives is to go out and put everything they got, and invest all their time and energy into making this season the best it can be.”
A young man that was known for his respect and caring, has now left, but with the respect of an entire community.
“Dashamone McCarty had connections with students, faculty, and staff on our campus,” Grosz said. “He was a respected member of our family and will be missed.”