Ryan Henderson: Jackson State Freshman Allegedly Killed By Own Cousin In Tragic Twist Of Fate, Police Say

Nolan Ryan Henderson, the Jackson State University freshman who was killed Sunday at an off-campus pool party, was allegedly gunned down by his cousin in a tragic twist of fate, the Jackson, Miss, Police Department said.

Ryan Henderson, a JSU freshman from Stone Mountain, Ga., was involved in a physical dispute with members of the JSU football team Sunday during a pool party at an off-campus apartment complex when he reportedly left the area and came back to confront the men, the Jackson police said in a statement.

Henderson's cousin, 25-year-old Jarrod Emerson, told police that his cousin asked him to come to the party because Henderson had been assaulted, according to the statement.

Emerson allegedly returned to the party with a gun and fired several shots, causing the party-goers to scatter, police said.

That's when Henderson was shot, allegedly by his own cousin. Emerson was charged yesterday with the murder of his cousin.

Ballistics tests have been conducted by the Mississippi State Crime Lab on the projectile recovered from the victim as well as the weapon that Emerson fired, the statement read. Those tests revealed that the projectile recovered from the victim matched the weapon that Emerson was firing.

Henderson's murder was a shock to the student body at Jackson State, where a vigil was held Monday night on campus.

He was 19. You haven't even experienced any of your life at that age, JSU student Chris Davis said of Henderson.

Ryan meant the world to me, he was my best friend, said his younger brother, according to wmctv.com.

Ryan's murder gained wide attention on Twitter, where users have been using the hashtag #JusticeForRyan.

Heart goes out to Ryan Henderson's family! tweeted user Lil'Pistol Starter.

Trayvon Martin. Bo Morrison. Ryan Henderson. & all fallen soldiers of the hood. We need stricter gun laws in every state, said @STORMfatale.