Canadian soccer prospect Nathan Demian, a junior at Ohio State University, was the victim of an off-campus shooting incident over the weekend – just hours after earning a spot in the national semifinals.
On Saturday, Ohio State defeated Wake Forest to reach the College Cup – college soccer’s equivalent to the Final Four.
But the team’s celebration was shattered by the news of Demian being involved in the shooting that stemmed from a car chase in the early morning hours of Sunday.
Columbus, Ohio police say a driver was chasing after another vehicle and a person in one of the cars shot at the other. The bullet ‘inadvertently’ struck Demian.
In a statement from the school, officials stressed that Demian was not a suspect and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
‘Following the Ohio State men’s soccer match with Wake Forest Saturday, redshirt junior Nathan Demian, from Vancouver, British Columbia, was a victim of an off-campus shooting,’ the statement began.
Ohio State defender Nathan Demian (3) was shot as an innocent bystander to a car chase over the weekend just hours after securing a spot in the national semifinals this week
Demian is part of an Ohio State team that won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and has the chance to win the school’s first ever national championship in the sport
‘He was an innocent bystander, is not a suspect in any way, and was not involved in any altercation. The soccer program is thankful for the incredible university support and medical care available to Nathan and his family during this difficult time.
‘Nathan’s family is with him, and the team is extremely close. The family has asked that everyone keep Nathan in their prayers. The department will do all it can to support Nathan, his family and the men’s soccer program in every way possible. Because of the police investigation underway, the department will not be able to discuss the incident further.’
According to TransferMarkt, Demian is an academy prospect of the MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps.
A defenseman, Demian has played in 14 games this season, has started in 12 matches, and has logged an assist.
Across his college career, Demian has played in 44 games for the Buckeyes having started in 42 of those – managing a goal and an assist in that time.
This season, Ohio State has been one of the best teams in the country – winning the Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament titles before entering the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament as the number one overall team.
After beating Western Michigan, Stanford, and Wake Forest, the Buckeyes now have the chance to try and win their first national championship in the sport in school history. They were previously runners-up in 2007, losing to Wake Forest.
Ohio State plays Marshall University – the 2020 national champions – on Friday evening. The winner of that game will play the winner of the other national semifinal between Vermont and Denver for the national title.
Leave a Reply