Caleb McCusker
·3 min read
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A 16-year-old who was shot and killed over the weekend while visiting Myrtle Beach from Virginia was a rising basketball star, according to a news release sent by a family friend.
Jakolbi Taylor of Roanoke was visiting Myrtle Beach with friends and family when he was struck at about 1:15 a.m. near a beach access point along 16th Avenue N., Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said.
Taylor was visiting Myrtle Beach with the AAU basketball Virginia Warriors for a tournament, family friend Dora Taylor-Lowe said on Monday. He scored 43 points and led his team to a win hours before his death.
“To know Jakolbi was to love him. He was a young man of exceptional character and radiant spirit, with a unique ability to uplift and transform the atmosphere of any room he entered,” his aunt Briana Taylor said in the release. “As a cherished member of his community, Jakolbi’s presence was a blessing to everyone who had the privilege of crossing his path.”
Briana Taylor said Jakolbi’s body is being taken back to Virginia on Monday, and they will start to make arrangements after.
“We’re going to send him away in the most beautiful way we can,” she said. “We’re going to let his friends and teammates and all the people who loved him celebrate his life.”
According to the release, Jakolbi was a rising junior at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke. He played varsity basketball as a sophom*ore, averaging 10 points, four rebounds and two assists per game.
“A quote from one of the teenager’s mom, she says that Jakolbi was the link that held the team together,” Briana said. When describing Jakolbi’s personality, she called him “fun, a jokester, serious about basketball, confident, fearless.”
Patrick Henry acting principal Joe Booan released the following statement after Jakolbi’s death.
“Good afternoon. This is an important message from Joe Booan, Acting Principal of Patrick Henry High School. As you may have heard, a shooting took place in the Myrtle Beach community . . . I am sad to report that one of our students has passed away. The Myrtle Beach Police Department is investigating.
I want to let you know the resources and supports available to you and your family. We have placed Resources for Parents and Guardians under Quick Links on the Roanoke City Public School’s website should you need to have conversations about grief with your child. These can be accessed by clicking on the button for Parent/Guardian Resources near the top of the homepage next to the orange banner. Mental health services through Hazel Health are available, as well as immediate support through Carilion CONNECT at (540) 981-8181. School counselors and social workers will also be available.
Please know we are here to support you and our entire Patrick Henry community. Out of respect for the family, we do not share any personal information and I hope you will join me in respecting their privacy as they grieve and in supporting one another.”
“Jakolbi’s legacy extends far beyond his athletic achievements,” the release reads. “He was admired not only for his skills on the court, but also for the remarkable person he was. The community mourns the loss of a young man who had so much more to give, both as an athlete and as a beloved member of his community.”
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune also offered condolences to the Taylor family.
“What I can tell you is that my heartfelt prayers are with the family of the teen who lost their life,” she told News13 in a text after the shooting. “No parent should have to suffer with such a loss and it breaks my heart for them.”
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News13 has requested the incident report from Myrtle Beach police. Count on us for updates.
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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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