Football community mourns teen player killed in Centretown shooting

Two days before his death, Quentin Dorsainvil was at the Nepean Sportsplex, cheering on his friend and former teammate Zander Stevensas he had done many times before.

"You'd always hear him in the crowd cheeringwhen something big happened," Stevens said.

Stevens couldn't know that Friday would be thelast time the two childhood teammateswould be together.

On Sunday evening, Dorsainvil, 17,was shot and killed near Percy and Nepean streets in Centretown, leaving Ottawa's football community in shock.

No charges have been laid for his death.

"He was always a veryjoyous person to be around," Stevens said.

Dorsainvil joined the Knights in 2017 and played as a lineman, said president Tina Stevens.

Afterhis first year of varsity in 2023 with the Cumberland Panthers, Dorsainvil moved to Miami to pursue his football career. Friends say he was back visiting when he was killed.

"We will be missing you Big Q Rest easy and know your football family will be with you forever," reads an Instagram tribute from the Panthers.

"It's a huge loss," said Adam Gilmour,who coached Dorsainvilin 2023 with the Knights. "Kids lost a friend, coaches lost, you know, a great player. The community as a whole lost a wonderful person."

Gilmourdescribed Dorsainvil as always kind,respectful and easy to coach.

"It's an absolute tragedy that he is no longer with us," Gilmour said. "He's going tobe missed."

He saidthe young football star would alwayslaugh at his jokes even if they weren't funny.

"His hands were massive and I'd always joke with him. I would put my tiny little hands up to his which would be at least twice the size of my hands, and that was when he was 15," Gilmour said.

The Kanata Knights planto take donationsfor Dorsainvil's family at their game this Friday.

WATCH | Dorsainvil's mentors describe him as 'the ultimate team player'

Football mentors describe 17-year-old killed in shooting as the ultimate team player

10 days ago

Duration 1:41

Adam Gilmour, head coach of the Kanata Knights, and Mike Schmidt, president of the Cumberland Panthers, described Quentin Dorsainvil as a gentle giant with a passion for football.