COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An Ohio State men's soccer player is recovering after being shot off-campus early Sunday after an NCAA tournament victory.
The team said that redshirt junior defender Nathan Demian, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, was the victim of a shooting in the 200 block of Chittenden Avenue east of campus. Columbus police said the shooting occurred just before 2:30 a.m. when two vehicles were chasing each other with a person in one vehicle shooting toward the other.
Demian, a bystander, suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital in serious condition. Police said he is recovering from his injuries and his family is with him.
“Nate is an incredible teammate, incredible person and a fantastic player," coach Brian Maisonneuve said. "He’s got a great voice. He is a character in the best way possible. ... His play speaks for itself. He is a competitor and it is going to be tough not to have him out there.”
Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork voiced his support for Demian as well on social media Monday afternoon, offering "thoughts and prayers".
Students who live in the area say what scares them most is this could have been anyone just walking around. “That's definitely scary to hear that someone could just get shot walking around on their own,” said OSU senior Kylie Kirkpatrick. People in the area also said this wasn't the first shooting nearby this semester. “Last Monday, there was a shooting once and then earlier in the evening, then again later in the evening. I have woken up to gunshots a couple of times since living here,” said recent OSU graduate Mia Iacampo.
Hours before the shooting, Demian started and helped the No. 1-seeded Buckeyes to a 3-0 win over Wake Forest at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in a quarterfinal of the NCAA tournament. After sitting out last season because of injury, Demian has started 14 games for the Buckeyes, including three postseason home games.
The top-seeded Buckeyes have advanced to the College Cup in Cary, North Carolina, where they will face No. 12-seed Marshall in a national semifinal Friday night.
“We are really leaning heavily on each other, and it will obviously impact preparation," Maisonneuve said. "There will be a lot of everybody's mind, but the guys will get through it. It’s a great group and we will find a way.”
