O'FALLON, Ill. — A 16-year-old hockey player and CBC student is still in the hospital in critical condition after being hit by a stray bullet on I-55 near Loughborough.
Colin Brown was in the passenger seat as his dad drove them home from a hockey game.
St. Louis Police said the gunfire came from the southbound lanes as the Browns were driving north.
More than a hundred people showed up for Colin and his family at the McKendree Rec Plex for a prayer vigil.
O'Fallon Hockey Coach Scott Loehring said he's devastated.
“It's tough. I have three children as well. And each one of them, we make that drive four to five times a week. So just knowing how random it is, it just hits really close to home,” Loehring said.
Colin played for O'Fallon for several years but currently plays for the Afton Americans and CBC.
Former teammate Chase Green, who now coaches in O'Fallon, was holding back tears at the vigil.
“When he first came to the program, he was like most of us, he was quiet. Not outgoing, but year before last he came out of his shell, became a leader on the team,” Green said.
The Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation, a nonprofit that supports amateur ice hockey players and families in times of crisis started raising money for the family right after they heard the news.
“The amount of people that have already reached out and shared everything, donated it was pretty overwhelming,” Chad O’Neil with Dawg Nation said.
The hockey community knows no boundaries and while it's made up of players from all over the metro, it's still a family who showed up for the Browns and will be there through it all.
“I'd want them to know that, from the Dawg Nation, don't worry about the finances or what might be around the corner,” President of Dawg Nation Jared Schmierbach said.
Loehring said he wants the family to know they’re not alone. “We love you. We're with you 100%. And we're your family and we're here for you,” he said.
Afton Americans and CBC are joining Dawg Nation in their fundraiser. If you'd like to help, click here.