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Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. Out of Hospital After Being Injured in Shooting

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVDecember 25, 2023

PALM DESERT, CA - NOVEMBER 23: Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) dribbles up the court during the Acrisure Invitational, a college basketball game, between the Arizona Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans on November 23, 2023 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The father of Jeremy Fears Jr. announced on social media Sunday that the Michigan State basketball player was discharged from the hospital after being shot on Saturday.

Jeremy Fears @Jfears5

Jr is doing really good . Discharged and headed home. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blessed?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blessed</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xp9vVIbZka">pic.twitter.com/Xp9vVIbZka</a>

According to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, police said an 18-year-old man—who a source indicated was likely Fears—and a 19-year-old woman were at a residence in Joliet, Illinois with friends when a gunman entered and opened fire. A suspect has not been identified and the investigation is ongoing.

Fears Sr. told Michael O'Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times that his son had been back in Joliet on Friday night, hanging out with a former teammate after he had invited several of his friends to watch a Michigan State game on Thursday night in East Lansing.

"There were 20 or 25 people there just having a good time," Fears Sr. said. "There were seven or eight people left cleaning and stuff and someone opened the door in all black and a ski mask and started shooting."

A bullet hit Fears in the thigh, while the woman was struck in the pelvis—both non-life-threatening injuries. The Michigan State freshman underwent successful surgery that same day.

"The bullet got stuck in the bone," Fears Sr. said. "He got really lucky that it didn't hit the artery, or he could have died."

The expected recovery timeline for the freshman guard is six to eight weeks, per his father.

"While there is much we still don't know, my focus is on supporting Jeremy on his road to recovery," Spartans' head coach Tom Izzo said in a statement.

Fears Jr. has appeared in every Michigan State game this season, averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 assists in 15.3 minutes per game off the bench.