Canadian soccer talent Nathan Demian, a junior at Ohio State University, was shot off campus over the weekend, just hours after qualifying for the national semifinals.
On Saturday, Ohio State defeated Wake Forest to advance to the College Cup, college soccer’s version of the Final Four. However, the team’s celebration was cut short when Demian was engaged in a gunshot that occurred during a car chase early Sunday morning.
According to Columbus, Ohio police, a driver was pursuing another vehicle when a person in one of the automobiles fired on the other. Demian was “accidentally” hit by the gunshot. Demian was not a suspect, according to the school’s statement. ‘Following Saturday’s Ohio State men’s soccer match against Wake Forest, redshirt junior Nathan Demian of Vancouver, British Columbia, was a victim of an off-campus shooting,’ the statement continued.
‘He was an innocent bystander, not a suspect in any way, and did not participate in any altercation. The soccer program is grateful for the tremendous institutional support and medical care provided to Nathan and his family during this difficult time.
Nathan’s family is with him, and the squad is very tight. The family has requested that everyone remember Nathan in their prayers. The department will do everything it can to help Nathan, his family, and the men’s soccer program. Due to the ongoing police investigation, the department will be unable to discuss the issue further. Demian is an academy prospect for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the Major League Soccer (MLS). Demian, a defenseman, has played 14 games this season, starting 12 of them, and has an assist.
Demian has played 44 games for the Buckeyes in his college career, starting 42 of them and scoring a goal and an assist. This season, Ohio State has been one of the greatest teams in the country, winning the Big Ten Conference regular season and tournament championships before entering the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament as the top overall seed.
After defeating Western Michigan, Stanford, and Wake Forest, the Buckeyes now have the opportunity to capture their first national championship in sports history. They were runners-up in 2007, losing to Wake Forest.
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