Life, legacy of Houston Christian University basketball star who was killed in East Harlem shooting

HOUSTON – Nearing the six-month anniversary of the death and would-be college graduation of Darius Lee, a former star basketball player at Houston Christian University, who was killed at a gathering in his hometown of East Harlem in New York, we are remembering his legacy from childhood through college.

Lee, 21, who was a senior at HCU, played basketball as a guard and was on track to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in sports management on Dec. 16. Lee was also named HBU’s Robbie Robertson Male Student-Athlete of the Year for the 2021-2022 season after leading his team in rebounds and was sixth in the nation in steals per game.

Before attending HBU, Lee, who grew up in Harlem, attended St. Raymond High School for Boys in the Bronx. He also played basketball at a community college in New York’s Sullivan County before enrolling at HBU.

What Happened

On June 20, the New York City Police Department responded to reports of multiple people being shot at a gathering in East Harlem.

When arriving, officers found five people shot on a footpath along the FDR under the Madison Avenue Bridge. All nine victims, including Lee, were taken to area hospitals.

Lee later died at the hospital.

Photos of Lee from childhood to college