Moussa Fofana, an 18-year-old junior who played varsity soccer at Columbia High School, was killed just after 9:30 p.m. Sunday at Underhill Field.
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A GoFundMe page set up to help cover funeral costs had raised more than $70,000 as of Tuesday morning.
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A 17-year-old classmate was also shot but is expected to survive.
Few detail regarding the circumstances of the shooting have been released, and police are still searching for the gunman.
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Friends said Fofana was driven to succeed.
"He was one of the hardest working persons I know," friend Joshua Billec said. "I'll wake up in the morning sometimes and I'd have a SnapChat or video from him, and it would be from last night at like 10 p.m. and he'd be at the soccer field in the middle of winter at 10 with just a flashlight on, training. It was his dream to go pro, and I feel like he had the talent and the work ethic to do it."
Columbia High School has brought in grief counselors.
"As Columbia High School parents and members of our community, Marie and I are absolutely heartbroken," Maplewood Mayor Frank McGehee said. "Our prayers go out to Moussa's family, friends, teammates, classmates, the entire CHS community, our Maplewood-South Orange community and everyone impacted by this senseless and devastating loss due to gun violence. We are also keeping the other student who was injured in our thoughts. While there are still so many unanswered questions, we ask that everyone respect both family's privacy at this very difficult time."
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Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
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