In the South African township where Luke Fleurs grew up, some friends joined gangs before they reached high school age, but Fleurs found another path: he was so brilliant at soccer that he rose to be a professional player at South Africa’s top club.

Fleurs’ success story ended abruptly last month when he was killed at a Johannesburg petrol station by someone stealing his car.

The 24-year-old’s murder not only sparked public grief due to his profile as a Kaizer Chiefs defender but also highlighted South Africa’s crime problem. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 75 a day.