What should have been a night of celebration for the South Oak Cliff High School football team turned into a tragedy Saturday when a player allegedly shot his teammate in the neck just hours after winning a third state championship.
Xavier Mayfield, 18, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. at a home in the 6400 block of Knoll Ridge Drive, according to an arrest warrant affidavit from the Dallas Police Department.
Earlier that day, Mayfield and his teammates had secured a 5A Division 2 UIL State Championship victory over Richmond Randle. Mayfield recorded an interception during the game, contributing to the Golden Bears’ historic win.
According to the affidavit, Mayfield told investigators he was in an upstairs bathroom holding a rifle when his teammate called his name from a nearby bedroom. Mayfield said that when he turned around, the weapon discharged, striking the victim in the neck.
A witness told police they saw Mayfield “swinging” the rifle earlier and that Mayfield had claimed the safety was on. Mayfield reportedly tried to help the victim down the stairs to get him to a hospital but stayed at the scene until emergency responders arrived because of the severity of the bleeding.
The victim, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, was taken to a local hospital in stable condition. Sources indicate his condition is improving.
The Next Generation Action Network, a local civil rights organization, issued a statement Monday calling the incident a “terrible accident.”
Dallas City Council Member Maxie Johnson, who volunteers at the school, expressed heartbreak over the event. “We teach our kids. We’ve all spoken about gun violence,” Johnson said, noting the irony of the tragedy following such a significant achievement for the community.
Mayfield is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail with a bond set at $50,000. Dallas Independent School District officials have not yet released a formal statement regarding the incident.
