Sadly during these trying times, the Louisville football program has been hit with a tragedy unrelated to the coronavirus.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Dexter Rentz was one of four people shot in an incident in Orlando very late Saturday night. The 18-year-old Rentz, a 2020 Louisville football signee, was the lone individual who died as a result of the shooting.
Very few details of what led up to the shooting have been released. No arrests have been made, and police continue to investigate the shooting.
Sunday morning, Scott Satterfield release a statement addressing Rentz’s passing.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Dexter Rentz,” the Louisville football head coach said. “He was a great young man who had a contagious personality, and was able to light up a room with his smile. He was a great kid to be around and he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Rentz family during this extremely difficult time.”
Wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer mourned the death of Rentz via Twitter.
“To live life to the fullest & to have it end so suddenly puts family into perspective,” the assistant wrote. “Dex will always be a member of the Cardinal family & a Freak4Life. He remains a light in dark times.”
.@DexterRentz @UofLFootball @chris_morgan37 @ULFBRecruiting @jdemling To live life to the fullest & to have it end so suddenly puts family into perspective. Dex will always be a member of the Cardinal family & a Freak4Life. He remains a light in dark times. ❤️ u Dex -FreakFreak pic.twitter.com/tpZ1nolCD9
— Gunter Brewer (@GunterBrewer) April 26, 2020
Rentz was a three-star member of the Louisville football Class of 2020. The Ocoee, Fla., native chose the UofL over, among others, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Pitt, Purdue and Rutgers.
Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to all of those impacted by Rentz’s way-too-soon passing.
This is actually the second tragedy the Louisville football program has suffered in a month. Late last March, the father of wide receiver Corey Reed succumbed to complications of the coronavirus.