SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri State University’s football community is mourning the loss of one of its players killed in a shooting in his hometown of Las Vegas.

Las Vegas police say 18-year-old Richard Nelson was intervening in a dispute involving several women outside a home Saturday night when a man fired multiple shots, killing Nelson. It was not immediately clear Sunday if there were any arrests or charges. News 3 in Las Vegas reported he was trying to break up a fight involving a family member.

Nelson was a redshirt freshman last season at Missouri State. The Bears’ coach, Dave Steckel, said in a statement that Nelson’s death was a tragedy in that “he lost his life defending what was right.” Steckel described Nelson as “like a son or a brother.”

“Our Missouri State football family is in shock and mourning at the loss of one of our family members,” Steckel said. “Richard is like a son and a brother. It is a tragedy that he lost his life defending what is right. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family in Las Vegas, and we know he is in a good place with God. We ask everyone to respect the privacy of our football family at this time as we begin the healing process.”

Kyle Moats, Missouri State’s athletics director, said that Springfield school would offer grief counseling for student-athletes when they return to campus this week.

Before last season, Missouri State posted a video of Nelson and senior Phoenix Johnson as a getting-to-know-you tool.