Shameik Blackshear recovering from gunshot wounds

South Carolina officials are “optimistic” freshman defensive end Shameik Blackshear will recover fully from injuries suffered in a Wednesday shooting.

The freshman defensive end’s future beyond that hasn’t been determined.

“He’s doing well,” Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp said. “Right now we are just concerned with his health, but as far as I’ve been told, he’s doing well.”

Blackshear, a native of Bluffton once considered the heir apparent to Jadeveon Clowney, remains a member of South Carolina’s football team, athletics director Ray Tanner said.

“The focus right now is on his health and trying to make sure he’s OK,” Tanner said. “We are optimistic that he is going to be OK.”

Neither Tanner nor Muschamp had spoken to Blackshear as of midday Friday. Blackshear was shot in the upper body and lower body, according to a source.

A Columbia police report, which did not identify Blackshear as the shooting victim, indicated a shooting occurred at the Club at Carolina Stadium near the USC baseball stadium at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Forensic evidence was collected and interviews were conducted at the scene, the police reported noted.

Blackshear, 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, signed with South Carolina in February. The four-star prospect had scholarship offers from Clemson, Georgia, LSU and North Carolina, among others. After recovering from a knee injury suffered in high school, he played briefly for the Gamecocks in 2015 but made little impact.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 2:33 PM.