Linebacker Anfernee Jennings delayed his arrival at the New England Patriots’ offseason program in April so he could support his hometown. On April 15 in Dadeville, a birthday party had ended with four people dead and 24 more victims having suffered penetrating gunshots wounds.

On Friday night, Jennings will hold his second free football camp at Dadeville High School’s Tiger Stadium for local youngsters, hoping to continue to shine a “positive light” in the still grieving town.

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“Last year was the first year of me hosting the camp for my hometown and my community, and it was a success,” Jennings told Christopher Price of the Boston Globe. “This year, it hits different with the tragedy that happened in my hometown with the shooting. For me to be able to have an opportunity to do something positive and be a light for my community at this time means the world to me.”

READ CHRISTOPHER PRICE’S “PATRIOTS LINEBACKER ANFERNEE JENNINGS IS FINDING WAY TO HELP HIS HOMETOWN HEAL”

Six suspects, including a juvenile, have been charged with reckless murder and other crimes in the shootings.

Nineteen-year-old Marsiah Emmanuel “Siah” Collins, 18-year-old Phil Dowdell, 23-year-old Corbin Dahmontrey Holston and 17-year-old Shaunkivia Nicole “Keke” Smith died in the shootings.

Dowdell was a Dadeville High School wide receiver who had committed to play at Jacksonville State.

Jennings was a two-time All-State selection at Dadeville after earning honorable-mention recognition on the Alabama Sports Writers Association team during his sophomore season.

As a defensive end for the Tigers, Jennings won the ASWA Class 4A Lineman of the Year Award in 2014, his senior campaign for the Tigers. He played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic and the Semper Fidelis All-American Game.

“I just want to do right by my community with something like this,” Jennings told Price about his youth football camp. “… I just want to give people some hope and bring a positive light to my community.”

After recording 14.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss at Alabama, Jennings entered the NFL as a third-round selection in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Jennings is scheduled to report for the Patriots’ training camp on July 25 in preparation for his fourth NFL season. Jennings is entering the final season of his four-year, $4.597 million rookie contract.

Jennings played in 16 games, with three starts, in 2022 for the Patriots in a comeback campaign after he spent the 2021 season on injured reserve.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.