The Southern University community is mourning former Jaguar Bradley Coleman, who was fatally injured in a tragic carjacking attempt. Learn more in the story by Ellyn Couvillion at The Advocate.

A former Southern University player died Sunday when three assailants tried to steal his vehicle in his hometown of Norcross, Georgia, the Gwinnett County Police Department told TV station Fox 5 Atlanta.

Bradley Coleman, 29, who played for the Jaguars from 2012-16, was at the air pumps of a convenience store filling the tires of his vehicle on Sunday afternoon when three people in a vehicle backed in beside him, the TV station reported.

When one of the people got into the driver’s seat of Coleman’s vehicle, Coleman began to fight off two of them. 

The driver of a third vehicle, unaware of the attempted carjacking underway, pulled up behind the suspects’ vehicle; the suspects crashed into that vehicle when they shortly fled the scene, media reports said. 

One of the assailants fatally shot Coleman as they left, police said. 

The search is underway for the assailants, the Gwinnett County Police Department said. 

Coleman was a graduate of Norcross High School. 

At Southern, he was a wide receiver and played on the 2013 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship team.

“It is with great sadness to share with the Norcross family that we lost a brother this weekend,” the high school posted. “Bradley Coleman was a friend, father and an ambassador of goodwill. We will keep everyone informed about any arrangements and ways to help support the family.”

On Monday, Southern University President Dennis Shields said on social media, “On behalf of the Jaguar Nation, I offer sincere condolences to the family, teammates and other loved ones of Bradley Coleman, former Jaguar wide receiver.”

Shields noted that the Georgia native played on the 2013 Jaguar team “that brought the SWAC trophy home to Baton Rouge.”