Point Park student-athlete dies in drowning accident

PITTSBURGH — A Penn Hills native and Point Park University student drowned in an accident Wednesday in Alabama.

Tyler Deshon Carter, 19, was a sophomore history major at the university.

learned Carter was a Pennsylvania state high school champion in the triple jump.

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"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tyler," Keith Paylo, vice president of student affairs at Point Park, said. "He's a great young man. Great representative of the University."

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Carter was a member of Point Park’s men’s track & field team. Ranked No. 4 nationally in the triple jump, he was in Alabama to compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championship this week and was scheduled to compete Saturday, according to university officials.

Police in Gulf Shores, Ala., said Carter was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday afternoon when they got a call of a swimmer in distress, and activated their dive team. Tyler was found and later pronounced dead.

A native of Penn Hills, Carter graduated from Trinity Christian School and was the son of Shawn and Yvonne Carter.

“The Point Park University family is devastated by this loss,” Point Park president Paul Hennigan said. “Tyler was more than just an impressive athlete – he was an excellent student and an even better person. Our love, prayers and support are with his family and friends.”

The university said two other student-athletes are still in Alabama and plan to compete in the championships this week, in Tyler's honor.

"I think it is admirable," Paylo said. "Obviously it could go one way or the other because of the situation itself. However, they have communicated to us that they would like nothing more than to to compete in his honor."

Police in Alabama said it was a red flag day on the beach Wednesday, meaning the water was very rough. The area does experience riptides, but authorities couldn't say if that may have been a factor in this accident.

Cox Media Group