An arrest has been made in the case of Jasper Howard, a UConn football player stabbed to death over the weekend.
Johnny Hood, 21, of Hartford, is being held on $100,000 bond for allegedly lying about the University of Connecticut student-athlete Jasper Howard. Cops said Hood was charged with interfering with an officer and breach of peace, but he has not been charged in the stabbing death of Howard, according to NY Daily News.
Witnesses identified him as being involved in the fight which took Howard’s life. Hood reportedly gave police a fake name when he was questioned, according to the Daily News.
The news of Hood’s arrest comes after a tragic weekend for the University of Connecticut, still reeling from Jasper Howard’s death. Just hours after UConn’s 38-25 homecoming victory over the Louisville Cardinals, Howard was reportedly stabbed to death outside a school dance.
A fire alarm had been pulled and, even though there were close to 300 people outside the building, no one saw who stabbed Howard in the abdomen during a fight between students and non-students. However, as the Daily News reported, witnesses identified Johnny Hood as being involved in the altercation.
UConn Coach Randy Edsall spoke of how the stabbed player’s teammates came to his aid.
“One had Jasper in his arms and the other was pressuring where the wound went in and had blood on his hands,” Edsall said. “And those two young men are pretty deeply affected right now,” according to an AP story.
According to Maj. Ronald Blicher of the UConn Police, Howard’s death is thought to be the first homicide on the Storrs campus. The police indicated they do not think the event is random and do not anticipate the University community at large is at risk, though one other person was stabbed during the altercation.
As authorities try to find who is responsible for the murder, family, friends and teammates are mourning the loss.
“Many of you know Jasper – a devoted son, friend, and promising student-athlete. I know that our community is grieving this loss and is distressed by the violence it involved,” said University President Michael Hogan in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to Jasper’s family, friends, and teammates at this time of incredible sorrow.”
Adding more to the devastation of losing a man at such a young age is the fact that Jasper Howard was soon to become a father, according to coach Edsall. The team will wear a sticker with Howard’s initials on their helmets for the rest of the season and will carry Howard’s helmet or jersey to away games.
Our Take
An absolute tragedy and who knows if it could have been avoided, but if there’s a lesson to take from it, it’s to just walk away from a fight. Without knowing the specific details, it’s hard to know if Jasper Howard had a chance to walk away, but whenever possible, get away from the violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends and the University of Connecticut.
