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The University of Mᴀssachusetts Dartmouth is mourning an 18-year-old football player after he was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a fellow student.
In the early hours of Saturday, Sept. 19, Providence Police patrol officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the parking lot of a Rhode Island Wendy’s around 12 a.m. local time, Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez shared in a news conference.
“Providence police officers learned that two individuals had sustained stab wounds during an altercation in the parking lot,” Perez said. “The first victim sustained a stab wound to the chest and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.”
The deceased victim was later identified as Marvin Antoine, a freshman running back at UMᴀss Dartmouth.
The second victim, 19-year-old freshman defensive back Kensley Macean, sustained injuries to the head and neck area and the left arm, but the injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening, police said. Macean has since been recovering in the hospital.
Initial investigations revealed that the fatal stabbing stemmed from an altercation involving individuals, including members of the football team who had lost against Framingham State just hours before, at a nearby nightclub, Mezzo Lounge.
“There was an altercation between a female and some of the victims that were in line,” Perez said, noting that the club was over capacity at the time. “And then the altercation moved over to the parking lot of the Wendy’s, but we have no indication that they knew each other.”
Chukuwnonso Uzoma-eze, a 19-year-old student who is not on the football team, was identified as a suspect believed to have been involved in the fatal stabbing. He was subsequently located and charged with murder.
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“I just wanted to bring justice to the family,” Perez said during the news conference. “I couldn’t believe what they’re feeling, having to mourn their child who probably just moved them into college two weeks ago as a freshman. That’s terrible.”
Following the incident, UMᴀss Dartmouth Chancellor Mark Fuller addressed Antoine’s death in a statement.
“Our hearts and prayers are very much with Marvin’s family, friends, classmates and teammates as we mourn his loss together,” he said, per CBS News. “We also send our prayers and best wishes for Kensley’s recovery, and hope that he will be able to resume his education here soon.”
Antoine’s younger sister, Stacie, created a GoFundMe to raise funds for their family and his funeral expenses.
“My brother had just started college and had so much going for him,” she wrote on the page. “He played football, and he loved it. He was smart, easygoing, and always made people laugh.”
“He was also the kind of person who was always there for the people he loved, which makes this loss even harder to understand and accept,” she added. “I feel empty after losing my older brother.”