A family friend has spoken out about the motive behind the killing of a 19-year-old Orange County football star in Compton.
Los Angeles County deputies found William Leapart, 19, dead at the scene on the 14000 block of South Stanford Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. Last Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Tustin High School graduate and former Tillers cornerback and wide receiver had crashed his white sedan head-on into a utility pole after being shot while driving.
Rapper and football coach Curtis “Spider Loc” Williams, who coached Leapart and is a friend to his parents and younger brother, said the football star was killed by a shooter who wanted to take the hat Leapart was wearing at the time. “William was killed by the streets. William didn’t gangbang. He did well in school and he had a loving family,” Williams said in a video posted to Instagram.
“When are black lives going start mattering to black people? It don’t make no sense,” Williams added.
Leapart maintained a 3.4 grade point average and actively sought recruitment by black colleges. “Looking for the right opportunity!! Recruitment 100% open,” he wrote on X in December 2023. He was proud of his on-field performance and regularly posted videos of winning plays to his X profile.
Leapart’s former team paid tribute to him on social media following news of his death. “As soon as he arrived on campus, he set the example of what is the standard of a student athlete is. He was quiet, humble and had one of the biggest hearts,” states a post on the Tillers’ Instagram profile. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Leapart family. Hoping for peace with everyone who has come across Will,” the post continues. “Once a Tiller, Always a Tiller.”
Classmates remembered the 2024 Tustin grad, who wore the number seven jersey, with grief-stricken messages online. “Rest in peace William you are greatly missed,” replied one friend of the slain teen on Instagram.
In the viral moment that has drawn widespread attention to youth violence in Los Angeles County, video from the scene shows Leapart’s vehicle crashed into a utility pole with investigators taping off the area as they searched for clues. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating the case and has not released any information on a possible suspect.
The LASD continues to investigate the shooting with no arrests announced.