Former Jurupa Hills player dies in shooting incident

Local residents are mourning the loss of a former Jurupa Hills High School student who died in a shooting incident on the 60 Freeway in Jurupa Valley on Aug. 16.

Sheldon Martin, who played football at Jurupa Hills in the fall of 2012 and was a wide receiver on the Chaffey College team this year, was one of five people who were in a car heading westbound at 11:10 p.m.

Someone in another vehicle shot at the car, which went onto the side of the roadway, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Three people sustained gunshot injuries, and Martin was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other injured persons were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Their names and their conditions were not available.

Detectives from the Jurupa Valley Station and the Central Homicide Unit responded to the scene. No arrests have been made, and the case is ongoing.

The shooting was believed to have been preceded by a verbal dispute with another group at a drive-through restaurant in Riverside. The group followed the car containing Martin and the four other persons onto the freeway, according to reports.

Martin, 20, was a member of the first graduating class at Jurupa Hills in the spring of 2013. He then played football at a college in central California before returning to the Inland Empire this fall at Chaffey, where he was well-liked by his teammates and coaches.

Chaffey released an official statement on Aug. 17 which said:

“Panther Athletics is saddened to hear of the passing of freshman wide receiver Sheldon Martin. Sheldon was a kind young man who will be profoundly missed by his teammates, coaches, and the athletics staff. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Olivier Wong, chief of staff for the Fontana Unified School District, said the tragic incident is a "terrible shock" to the FUSD and the community.

"Our hearts go out to his family," said Wong. He said this is a "tremendously difficult" time for everyone who knew Martin, who still had strong ties to the local community.

A memorial tribute to Martin is being planned, but exact details are not yet known.

(In the accompanying YouTube video from the 2012 football season at Jurupa Hills, Martin can be seen returning a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in the CIF semifinal game against Ontario Christian.)

I used to go to that school in '11.

Rest in peace.

Thank you for sharing.

Just An example of what we got to deal with in these wild streets.