Shock has been expressed throughout Fiji after the death of 21-year-old sprinter Roy Ravana Jr in a drive-by shooting in Sacramento.
Ravana Jr, one of the island nation's greatest talents, won a 400 metres hurdles bronze medal at the 2011 Pacific Games before competing in the 60m heats at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul.
He had already been selected for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
The sprinter has been studying in the United States for two years and was expected to take up an athletics scholarship at the University of Louisiana later this year.
He was fired upon in the Fruitridge district of the Californian city on Monday (June 9) after reportedly assisting another person who had already been shot, with it being claimed afterwards that he was not part of a gang, but had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Two people have already been arrested in connection with the incident, both of whom are under the age of 18. 
The incident has caused consternation across Fiji, with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama among those to express his shock and sadness.
"Like all Fijians, I am appalled that Roy - an innocent bystander - should lose his life in this way," he said.
"To have his life cut short when he had so much promise is a terrible tragedy.
"Many people dream of being given an opportunity to pursue success overseas, Roy was living that dream when he died.
"And many young Fijians, even those who didn't know him personally, will feel a sense of shock and loss at his passing."
Joseph Rodan Snr, President of Athletics Fiji, also told the Fiji Sun that it was the "saddest day to lose one of our promising athlete, an athlete who is groomed and developed for Fiji and had a lot of potential".
He added: "Athletics Fiji mourns the loss of our asset and our deepest condolences to the family during this difficult time".
The incident is a tragic blow for Fiji in their preparations for the Commonwealth Games, beginning in Glasgow on July 23, after the nation was only permitted to compete in March following the lifting of a ban on Fiji's membership of the Commonwealth, in place since 2009 because of a military coup orchestrated by Bainimarama three years earlier.
Since March, it emerged that neither Fiji's netball or rugby sevens team would be permitted to compete, because the qualification process for those sports had already been completed.
Ravana Jr, one of the island nation's greatest talents, won a 400 metres hurdles bronze medal at the 2011 Pacific Games before competing in the 60m heats at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul.
He had already been selected for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.
The sprinter has been studying in the United States for two years and was expected to take up an athletics scholarship at the University of Louisiana later this year.
He was fired upon in the Fruitridge district of the Californian city on Monday (June 9) after reportedly assisting another person who had already been shot, with it being claimed afterwards that he was not part of a gang, but had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Two people have already been arrested in connection with the incident, both of whom are under the age of 18.
Roy Rovana Jr competing in the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul ©Getty ImagesThe incident has caused consternation across Fiji, with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama among those to express his shock and sadness.
"Like all Fijians, I am appalled that Roy - an innocent bystander - should lose his life in this way," he said.
"To have his life cut short when he had so much promise is a terrible tragedy.
"Many people dream of being given an opportunity to pursue success overseas, Roy was living that dream when he died.
"And many young Fijians, even those who didn't know him personally, will feel a sense of shock and loss at his passing."
Joseph Rodan Snr, President of Athletics Fiji, also told the Fiji Sun that it was the "saddest day to lose one of our promising athlete, an athlete who is groomed and developed for Fiji and had a lot of potential".
He added: "Athletics Fiji mourns the loss of our asset and our deepest condolences to the family during this difficult time".
The incident is a tragic blow for Fiji in their preparations for the Commonwealth Games, beginning in Glasgow on July 23, after the nation was only permitted to compete in March following the lifting of a ban on Fiji's membership of the Commonwealth, in place since 2009 because of a military coup orchestrated by Bainimarama three years earlier.
Since March, it emerged that neither Fiji's netball or rugby sevens team would be permitted to compete, because the qualification process for those sports had already been completed.