Hyattsville native attending Morgan State murdered near campus

BALTIMORE, Md. (FOX 5 DC) -- A Hyattsville native attending Morgan State University is dead after an early morning shooting near campus.

Police believe Manuel "Manny" Luis, 19, was shot and killed in an attempted robbery early Thursday.

Luis graduated last year from Parkdale High School in Riverdale. On Thursday evening, his former teammates on the baseball team came together after the stunning loss of one of their own.

"I think it was a situation where it hit you like a ton of bricks," said Brian Moore, Parkdale High School Athletic Director.

He described Luis as a one of kind student who was always trying to lend a hand.

"I think there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't stop by my office and say, 'Hey Coach Moore, is there anything that I can do to help? What do you need?' Just helpful to the nth degree," said Moore. "That's what's so hurtful is that a kid that was always trying to do the right thing, always so helpful, that this had to happen."

Police say early Thursday morning, Luis was heading home from Morgan State to see his family in Hyattsville. He was near his off-campus apartment on the 4700 block of Loch Raven Boulevard when investigators believe he became the target of two robbers. Police describe it as a "crime of opportunity." The found Luis' shot inside his car around 4:50 a.m.

No arrests have been made.

According to the school, Luis was a business major in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management.

For this to happen to anyone would be a tragedy, but those who knew Luis can't understand why it had to to be him.

"He's one of the most positive kids I knew," said William Poulakos, Parkdale's head baseball coach. "That attitude, that smile on his face would brighten everyone's day up. I don't just say that. Manny was the real deal."

If you have any information that might help police, call (410) 396-2100.