His body was found Friday morning in Reed's apartment building near the campus in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Before Simeon's Friday afternoon game football game against Foreman High School, Simeon players gathered around Reed's jersey that had been hung up on a fence near the end zone. They said a prayer and a dedication to winning the game for him.
Carl reed says he lost his best friend when his son was killed.
"It's unfortunate that something like this had to happen, I'm really hurt, but at the same time I'm appreciative," said Carl Reed, father.
"Mr. Reed has just been exemplary. He's a father figure, he's been in his children's life, it's all he talked about," said Alice Carter, family friend.
The Simeon football team had little to say as they arrive for their Friday afternoon game against Foreman. The death of former Simeon football standout, Demarius Reed, has hit most everyone here hard.
"It's going to be an emotional day for Simeon, and we just went through this last week with playing Lane Tech, so it's all about class. Football, it's a big fraternity," said Peter Grazing, football coach, Foreman High School.
The Eastern Michigan University football player was found shot to death in the hallway of an apartment building Friday near Eastern Michigan University, where he was a starting wide receiver. He started there in 2011.
Reed's body was discovered at 7:15 a.m. Friday morning at an off-campus apartment several blocks north of the school.
The Ypsilanti Police Department says 20-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Robbery is suspected as a possible motive.
Reed had started all six games this year and caught 15 passes for 185 yards and scored a touchdown.
In a written statement, EMU school officials said: "Demarius was an influential leader who thrived in the classroom and on the field. Everyone gravitated to him and often described him as the 'life of the locker room."
"You're thinking about his family, I'm thinking especially about his younger brother, who is my son's friend. And I know his family's hurt, and we just want to send our prayers and condolences out to them," said Halethia Jones, parent, Simeon football player.
As he struggles to cope, Carl Reed says the hardest thing was having to tell Demarius' younger brother, a freshman at Simeon who followed his brother into the football program of his death.
"My youngest son is handling it the way Demarius would, my youngest son is being the bigger person, he's being positive," said Carl Reed, father.
The community is rallying around Reed's younger brother, who now plays for the Simeon football team. Police say they have made no arrests and no one is in custody.
