Yorktown, Ind. — Hundreds gathered at the Yorktown High School football field Saturday to mourn Chris Wilson Jr., a star player and friend killed in a shooting on Oct. 5.

Wilson, 17, stood 6 feet 5 inches tall. Friends called him “Big One” and said it was fitting to hold a large send-off at his favorite place: the football field.

His family said Wilson had a bright future. A standout defensive player, he committed to play football at West Virginia, a Division I school, starting next year. He dreamed of playing in the NFL.

“Oh, my boy was cold. He was the main reason why we won all the games,” Wilson’s cousin, Angel Jackson, said.

Muncie police found Wilson shot to death inside a vehicle on Monday morning.

Brenda Gore, Wilson’s grandmother, said she is heartbroken.

“And I tell you, it’s hard. It’s hard because I was just getting ready for his birthday, Nov. 29. … I tell ya, I’m going to miss him. I love him. And I know he’s up in heaven playing football,” Gore said.

Wilson’s family, teammates and friends are finding comfort in one another.

“As long as we all come together and keep his name alive and keep him in spirit, we’ll all get through it together as a community,” Armani Taylor, a friend and high school classmate, said.

The community released hundreds of balloons in the Tigers’ team colors and prayed together. Friends described Wilson as a gentle giant whose presence will be missed.

Loved ones are also waiting for justice. Police have not released a motive or identified any suspects.

Official funeral arrangements have not been announced.

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