Gun violence claims Los Angeles High School student

Friends, family and coaches said that 17-year-old Jamiel Shaw was a good  kid.
Shaw, a speedy running back for Los Angeles High School, was  the Southern Leagues most valuable player last year.
His family said  that Shaw was elated because Stanford and Rutgers Universities had  phoned him about tentative recruitment offers.
But Shaw would never  make it to the universitys football team.
At about 8:40 p.m. on  Sunday night, Shaw was returning from a nearby mall and talking on his  cellphone:  first to his dad, Jamiel, Sr., who urged his son to hurry  home.  Then Jamiel called his girlfriend, Chrystale.  Shaw was just  three doors away from his house in the 2100 block of 5th Avenue when a  white compact car cruised down the street.
Two Latino men jumped out  of the car and asked Jamiel the dreaded question that so many young  black men in South Los Angeles fear:  Where are you from?
Jamiel  didnt answer.
The men pulled out a gun and fired a round of bullets.   Jamiel crumpled to the ground as the suspects sped away north on Fifth  Avenue.
Jamiel Sr. said he heard the shots and ran out of the  house. He found his son lying on the sidewalk, bleeding. The father  stayed with his son  until medical personnel arrived.  Jamiel was  transferred to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.  m.
Friends and family say that Jamiel was not affiliated with any  gang.
Jamiels mother, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw, who was on her second  tour of duty in Iraq, flew back to Los Angeles Monday after hearing the  news about her son.
She called crying, saying, Tell me its not my  son, Althea Shaw, Jamiels aunt, told news sources.  She was so proud.   She felt he had made it through the hard times.  She still called him  her baby, even though he was taller than her.
Jamiel Sr. stood in  front of his house, still in disbelief over his sons killing.  Tears  ran down his face as he surveyed the blue and white candles left by  classmates–the school colors of the Romans of Los Angeles High School.
The  father said he had an 18-year-old plan for his son, saying that he  wanted to become a sports agent.  I would tell him, Im going to get  you to 18, and if you do what youre supposed to do, youll get to  college. He was almost there.
The youths football coach, Hardy  Williams, visited the family Monday. He was a very special kid,  Williams said. Not only was he an outstanding athlete, he was a good  person.  Ive never seen Jamiel mad.  He had such a big smile.
Hardy  described Jamiel as a Houdini on the football field.
Many of  Jamiels teammates were stunned when they heard the news of Jamilels  murder, calling him the spirit of the team.
Jamiel Sr. told news  sources that Jamiel had never missed a game because of an injury.
When  he went on the field, he never came out, said Jamiel Sr.  Hed never  been hurt.  This is the first time I ever saw him hurt.