Florida A&M's Shannon Washington dies

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Florida A&M basketball player Shannon Washington died early Sunday morning after suffering a knife wound to her neck, the school announced.

Tallahassee Police responded to a report of a stabbing and found Washington in an apartment. She was treated at the scene by police and EMS and later died at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, police said.

Starquineshia Palmer, 20, who was visiting Washington for the weekend, was detained and charged with first-degree murder, police reported.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to Shannon's family and members of the Lady Rattlers Basketball Team," said Florida A&M president James H. Ammons. "For Shannon to be killed in the prime of her life is tragic and senseless. She had so much promise as a student athlete. This is a great loss for the university and our athletic program."

Washington, a shooting guard, was named an all-American in two seasons at Illinois Valley Community College before transferring to Florida A&M during the offseason.

"It is truly a trying situation to lose a student-athlete that has come to us to further her education and excel at her sport," said Florida A&M coach LeDawn Gibson. "As a coach, this is the kind of incident you just hope you never have to deal with -- the death of one of your players at such a young age."

Florida A&M will host a vigil for Washington on Sunday night.

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