Funeral Held for Poughkeepsie High School Student

Friends and family said goodbye to the Poughkeepsie High School Senior who was tragically shot and killed last week.

Funeral services were held Tuesday morning for Poughkeepsie basketball star Caval Haylett at Beth-El Church of God in Christ in Poughkeepsie.

The popular 18-year-old was shot in the head as he walked home with friends just before 10:00 p.m. last Wednesday. Hours before he was tragically shot, Haylett scored 21 points in a Dutchess County all-star basketball game.

Police say Haylett was not the intended target. Police are still looking for the gunman.

“We as a City are hurting,” Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said at Haylett’s funeral. “We have lost a bright star, not just a star basketball player, but someone who shined wherever he was.”

His varsity basketball coach Brian Laffin told Rolison that Caval was fun loving. Someone who really wanted to and probably would have played basketball in college.

“This violence and total lack of respect for human life has to end. To honor Caval, we have to work together to be part of the solution which is to love and respect one another—that’s how Caval lived his life,” Rolison said.