There’s shock and sadness on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University following the shooting death of former football star Ashton Dickson.
The 25-year-old was gunned down outside of an Ottawa bar following an altercation over a bathroom lineup. There have still been no arrests.
Dickson’s former coach Gary Waterman says many at St. FX are still in shock.
“I think everybody is just generally sad,” says Waterman. “(When) you're on a team sport, you become an extended family.”
Dickson was the school’s all-time leading rusher andwas a nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy in 2015.
Stadium announcer Richard Johnson called Dickson's name so many times that it quickly transitioned into a campus catchphrase.
“Ashton Dickson, the ball carrier,” says Johnson. “He'd get you excited as an announcer and as a fan. Once he got the ball and he started moving, it just was electrifying.”
Dickson shared his story in a recruitment video, expressing how proud he was of the school and those he met there.
Now, they're trying to make sense of what's happened.
“It hurts,” Waterman says. “People think as coaches, we impact the kids. We do, but they impact us as well.”
Meanwhile, Ottawa police are appealing to the public for any information about Dickson's shooting.
“A simple argument that starts inside the bar spills out into the street and then we have one dead person on our streets,” says Chief Charles Bourdeleau of the Ottawa Police Service. “Not acceptable. There were a number of people out, in the bar that evening that fled before police got there.”
The St. FX football team will have its first home game of the season on Sept. 1. Though plans are not yet in place, it's expected there will be a tribute to Dickson, including a moment of silence.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh.
