Coaches and teammates at Lakewood High School are grieving the loss of one of their football players.
Police say 17-year-old Khalil Saleem was killed in a drive-by shooting in Long Beach on Saturday. Saleem's teammates and his coaches are shocked by this sudden loss.
Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HEREHis coach told NBC4 that everyone from students to staff wanted to be around Saleem and thy never though an afternoon game of basketball at the park would lead to his death.
Justin Utupo is the head football coach at Lakewood High School and he says it is still hard to believe his athlete was killed in an act of gun violence.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning with NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP 
"Any one of our youths should be able to be at the park and play basketball and be safe," Utupo said.
Long Beach police say Saleem was playing basketball with his friends at Silverado Park when two people began shooting at them.
Saleem and two other victims were transported to the hospital before the 17-year-old died.
Candles were still burning on the courts where it all happened, while passerby's and skaters come to pay their respects.
Saleem transferred to Lakewood High School in his sophomore year and was focusing on making up credits for graduation. Even though he couldn't compete last season Utupo said that never stopped him from supporting the team.
Saleem was a defensive back and had big aspirations tp play college football.
Utupo says he sadly will never get to see what he was truly capable of. Team members will mourn their teammate and carry on his memory.
Saleem's family has set up an online fundraiser to help them with funeral expenses.
As for the investigation, Long Beach police are investigating this shooting as the suspects are still at large and they still say a motive also remains unknown.
