A fraternity at Texas Christian University held a fundraiser Sunday morning to collect money to support the creation of a new scholarship at the university in honor of one of their brothers, Wes Smith, who was killed in Fort Worth last month.
Kappa Sigma put on “Touchdowns for Wes” at the TCU football practice fields. Organizers aimed to play some football in Smith’s memory and bring in $50,000. The fraternity has managed to collect more than $30,000 as of Tuesday evening.
Smith played football for TCU as a freshman in 2021 and then coached the middle school football team at All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth. However, he was killed in a random shooting on September 1 in Fort Worth’s entertainment district, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Matthew Purdy, 21, allegedly approached the college junior in the street and shot him in the stomach, shoulder, and back of the head. Smith was pronounced dead at the hospital, and Purdy reportedly confessed to the murder shortly after being arrested by police.
Since then, the TCU student body and broader community have organized events in remembrance of Smith.
For instance, a candlelight vigil was organized on campus at Frog Fountain during the week that followed Smith’s murder. Another Kappa Sigma-led fundraiser called “Run 4 Wes” was held shortly after that.
As a well-regarded finance major from Germantown, Tennessee, Smith was said to be a promising student and a devoted son, brother, cousin, and friend by those closest to him.
“Wes was a genuinely great guy with a bright future ahead of him,” Kappa Sigma alum Dylan York told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The proceeds from Sunday’s fundraiser will go to the Wes Smith Memorial Fund, which has amassed $40,670 so far. “Win 4 Wes” bracelets have also been made to help support this scholarship initiative.
“Wes loved TCU more than anyone, and giving someone else the opportunity to attend would be what he would’ve wanted,” York said.
The young man was killed in the West 7th area of Fort Worth, not far from the city’s downtown area, which has typically logged considerably smaller crime rates than Downtown Dallas.
Downtown Fort Worth is reportedly patrolled by a dedicated police unit working in conjunction with private security officers.
According to the City of Dallas crime overview dashboard, there have been 203 murders logged by the Dallas Police Department as of October 16, marking a 12.2% increase year over year.
