HOUSTON – A top college basketball prospect who played for Houston's Jack Yates High School was shot and killed Tuesday night in a neighbor's home in southwest Houston.
Melvin Swift, Jr. was identified Wednesday by both representatives of his school and his family as the man who died.
Police responded around 8:10 p.m. to a call about an intruder in the home in the 3200 block of Journs.
"The resident's young daughter went to her bedroom and was startled by an unknown black male suspect armed with a knife," a representative of the Houston Police Department wrote.
"As the suspect attempted to exit the house he began fighting with the resident and other family members. The resident, fearing for his family's safety, then fired a gun at the suspect, striking him in the leg," the representative said.
The victim was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.
Swift, a 2014 graduate of Houston's Jack Yates High School, was attending Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.
"We are saddened to report the death of Cardinal basketball player Melvin Swift," a TVCC school representative tweeted Wednesday.
It is unclear if Swift knew the residents of the home where he was killed. His family's home is around the corner from residence where he was shot.
Police have not yet publicly discussed a motive for why Swift was in the home His family declined a Channel 2’s interview request, Wednesday.
