U of D Jesuit High alum killed in South Carolina shooting

DETROIT (WJBK) -
A University of Detroit Jesuit grad goes to college in South Carolina in search of warmer weather and safer streets only to be gunned down at an off-campus apartment complex.

Friends and family grieve the loss of Cameron Culp who was shot and killed.

"He called me old man, I tell him just keep living and one day you'll be an old man - and he'd just laugh," said Luther Rayford, Culp's great-grandfather.

Rayford raised the young man since he was 5 years old in Detroit.

"When they walked in they told me he had been killed  - and that was shocking," Rayford said.

Miles away, friends of Culp here in Detroit are still getting the news and still not believing their best friend is gone.

"I miss him, man, I wish you were still here," said Kanzoni Ramsey, a close friend.

Police in Conway, South Carolina, say Culp was shot and killed Monday afternoon at an apartment complex near Coastal Carolina University. The campus was temporarily locked down.

Rayford says Culp, who attended U of D Jesuit High School, moved there to play lacrosse.

"I didn't object to it too much kind of wanted him to get away from Detroit," Rayford said. "But that didn't turn out good either."

Culp was studying to become a nutritionist and had transferred to a community college nearby to get his core classes completed.

His friends and great-grandfather describe the young man as energetic and athletic. He played both lacrosse and football in high school.

"He always worked hard," said Ramsey.  "He was competitive, he always gave 110 percent. His face never disappeared from people's memories.  He stayed close with people in Michigan."

Rayford says Culp discussed moving back to Detroit during their last conversation Saturday. The president of U of D Jesuit High School, Karl Kiser says he's devastated for Culp's family and friends.

Kiser described Culp as deeply involved in his school, intelligent and always smiling.

Rayford can only ask, why him?

"Most of the time I believe they don't realize what they are doing when they kill someone," he said.

While police tell FOX 2 three suspects are in custody, his great-grandfather is only left with pictures of that smile. Echoes of his laugh only memories now.