A former Seton Hall basketball player and current Atlantic City police officer died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at approximately 1:30 a.m. while on duty this morning, as reported by pressofAtlanticCity.com.
Kevin Wilkins, 31, was reportedly installing a rubber sleeve on the grip of his pistol when he accidentally discharged the bullet, hitting himself in the face while sitting in his patrol car near Kentucky Avenue in Atlantic City.
Wilkins was a standout at Atlantic City High School in the mid-1990s according to the online report. After a stint at Tallahassee Community College in Florida, he transferred to the Hall and was part of the team's run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2000. Wilkins graduated in 2001 after two seasons at the Hall.
Seton Hall's Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Matt Sweeney said, "It's not our position to be putting out facts because we don't know 100 percent what the facts are yet."
Sweeney said the Athletics Department has received some information from people who know Wilkins well, however nothing can be confirmed.
"Right now, we are kind of just waiting to find what the authorities find in this case," Sweeney said, adding a letter of condolences should be released today.
Check back at The Setonian.com for more updates to this story.
UPDATE:
Seton Hall Athletics released a statement last week regarding the accidental death of former Pirate Kevin Wilkins:
The Seton Hall University community is saddened to learn of the sudden passing of former men's basketball player Kevin Wilkins. A member of the 2000 team that reached the NCAA Sweet-16, he continued to make his alma mater proud as a police officer in Atlantic City, long after his graduation from our University. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, friends and former teammates during this very difficult time.
