Crime

Salem State student athlete killed in Halloween-night shooting near campus, police say

The 18-year-old student, who was from Worcester and played on the school's varsity basketball team, died after being shot in the early morning hours on Wednesday, police say.

Carl-Hens Beliard, right, was photographed with Worcester North High School basketball coach Al Pettway. Worcester Public Schools / Handout

By Katelyn Umholtz

updated on November 1, 2023

2 minutes to read

A Salem State University student and basketball player for the school’s varsity team was killed in a shooting during the early hours just after Halloween, an evening when the city’s streets are packed with visitors.

A press release from District Attorney Paul Tucker’s Office said the shooting occurred at 22 Forest Ave., located on the edge of campus, just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Carl-Hens Beliard, an 18-year-old student at Salem State, was found inside a car injured from the shooting. Authorities said he was taken to Salem Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

“As both the Salem State president and a college dad, this tragedy is heartbreaking for all in our community and every parent’s worst nightmare,” said university president John Keenan.

According to a message sent to the campus community Wednesday, Beliard, originally from Worcester, was a freshman studying sport and movement science. Before he joined the Vikings’ varsity basketball team, Beliard attended North High School and was a member of the Worcester school’s state championship-winning team, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Investigators do not believe the shooting was a “random act of violence” and said the campus is safe from any threats. An alert on Salem State’s website said the campus was open Wednesday morning.

Information on a suspect was not available as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, but Tucker said in a press release that State Police and local police are working together “to identify and bring the person responsible to justice.”

There has been a shooting on Forrester Ave near Lussier Street in Salem. There is an ongoing police investigation. Traffic is being diverted. At this time, it appears that there is no ongoing danger to the public.
— Salem MA Police (@SalemMAPolice) November 1, 2023

Boston25 reported from the scene of a shooting that police focused their investigation on a car that crashed into a retaining wall near a house, and it appeared that a bullet had shattered the car’s back window. Residents who heard the shooting and car crash said it “sounded like firecrackers.”

It isn’t immediately clear if that is the same vehicle that Beliard was in when police found him suffering from gunshot wounds.

In the email to the campus, Salem State is offering counseling services at Meier Hall for students, faculty, and staff.

This is a developing story and will be updated.