Former classmates and teachers of Manuel Luis, 19, gathered Thursday night at Parkdale High School, in Prince George’s County, to remember the student and teammate who was shot to death early Thursday in what the Baltimore police are calling a botched robbery outside his student apartment at Morgan State University.
Luis, a Hyattsville native, played baseball at Parkdale, and athletic director Brian Moore said he last saw Luis a couple of months ago, when he returned to cheer on his former team in the playoffs. Luis was wearing an old varsity letterman jacket on a hot day in May — a jacket Moore said he gave to Luis for all the help he provided over the years.
“He was a baseball player,” said Moore, “but aside from baseball he kind of wanted to be by me and do the sort of day to day operations that an athletic director would have to do. He kind of took it upon himself to proclaim him the ‘student athletic director’.”
He added, “He was just that type of kid who was just helpful. Always had a big smile on his face. He was in the SGA and I’m sure if you polled any of the teachers I’m sure he was the same way in the classroom.”
The Parkdale baseball program mourns the loss of our brother Manuel Luis C/O 18, who was taken from us this morning prayers to Manny’s family and friends R.I.P. Manny the Mayor of Parkdale Baseball pic.twitter.com/IJKj4UGtCA
— Parkdale HS Baseball (@PHS_Beisbol) July 11, 2019
Today it’s with great sadness that we’re mourning the loss of a great leader, advocate, student, and most importantly a fellow panther. Our heart goes out to the Luis family as well as every single person Manuel’s soul touched. Gone but never forgotten. R.I.P🕊❤️#LLMannyWell pic.twitter.com/XWks72oKG4
— Parkdale SGA (@ParkdaleSGA) July 12, 2019
Luis was, in Moore’s words, “the perfect definition of a student-athlete.” He was also enrolled at Prince George’s Community College, and Moore said Luis would sometimes have to skip baseball games because of classes. “He kind of had to jostle all those outside activities and be a part of an athletic team as well.”
Moore met with some of Luis’ former teammates and coaches Thursday night at school for what he described as a “heavy conversation” as they remembered their former teammate.
“He’s one of a kind. You don’t come across very many Mannys like that,” said Moore. “He was all in for the team; he was all in for his coaches, he was all in for Parkdale. He was just an excellent kid. That’s how I would like to remember him.”
Morgan State officials said Luis was studying business. His car was found outside the security gates of his off-campus student apartment with at least three bullet holes in the doors and windows. Luis was found inside with gunshot wounds to his upper body.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
