Pata

MIAMI — Bryan Pata's teammates at Miami walked into the night silently, some rubbing their eyes, some with stunned looks on their faces.

A few hours earlier, the Hurricanes were practicing with the soft-spoken defensive lineman, a popular figure around campus who was "hard to miss."

And then, he was gone.

Pata was shot and killed Tuesday night at his apartment complex, the latest shock to a Hurricanes team touched by tragedy and turmoil — including four deaths in the last decade, a separate gun incident earlier this season and an ugly on-field brawl just last month.

The 22-year-old senior who grew up in Miami was pronounced dead in the parking lot outside his apartment, and his death was ruled a homicide, Miami-Dade police spokesman Roy Rutland said.

"We're trying to get through a hard time right now and it's going to take time," Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman told The Associated Press after a team meeting at the university's athletic complex. "And that's what being a close football family is all about. We're going to help each other with this."

Word spread quickly around campus, and grief counselors were summoned to work with Pata's teammates. Another team meeting to discuss plans for a memorial was scheduled for Wednesday, and no decision has been made about the status of Saturday afternoon's scheduled game against No. 23 Maryland.

School officials said coach Larry Coker was "numb" over the news. The university athletic department released a statement, urging anyone with information about Pata's death to call police.

"Tonight the University of Miami tragically lost a member of our football family, Bryan Pata," read the release. "Bryan was a fine person and a great competitor. He will be forever missed by his coaches and teammates."

Rutland said police were called at 7:30 p.m. to the scene and found Pata's body. He lived about 4 miles from campus. No motive for Pata's death was released, and Miami-Dade police did not say who made the 911 call after the shooting.

"Right now, we're just gathering ourselves and just trying to pull ourselves together," Miami athletic director Paul Dee told the AP.

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound lineman was in his fourth year with the Hurricanes. He appeared in 41 games, making 23 starts, and was expected to be selected in next spring's NFL draft.