College Basketball Player, 19, Dies After Intentionally Stepping in Front of Train

Zachary Winston, a college basketball star at Division III Albion College, died at age 19 on Saturday, November 9 after intentionally stepping in front of an Amtrak train, according to People.com. Winston, who is the younger brother of Michigan State All-American Cassius Winston, stepped in front of the train as it approached a pedestrian crosswalk.

ESPN reports the train was delayed for three hours due to an investigation of the scene.

Ahead of Sunday night’s game between Michigan State and Binghamton, the Spartans held a moment of silence for the late-sophomore.

“As a community, our hearts are broken today as we share the news of the passing of one of our students, Zachary Winston,” a statement from Albion College President Mauri Ditzler read, via the Detroit Free Press. “Zach was a finance major, a student in the Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management, and member of the Albion College men’s basketball team. Beyond that, he was an extremely charismatic young man with an infectious smile. Zach was a recognized leader who was well known across every facet of our campus, He was a fantastic student with a world of potential before him. He was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.”

“As a campus, we have provided opportunities for students, faculty and staff to receive counseling and support in the challenging days ahead. We want all students to know they are not alone. Our hearts go out to his brothers, Khy, who is a freshman at Albion, and Cassius, who is a senior at Michigan State University, his parents and his extended family. We echo the family’s request in asking everyone to respect their privacy at this time.”

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Ion play I go to war about my gang members…#LuvGang

A post shared by Cash (@cassiuswinston5) on Oct 15, 2019 at 3:33pm PDT

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo also issued a statement on Zachary’s passing.

“Our hearts are filled with sorrow for the Winston family,” Izzo said. “Their pain over the sudden loss of Zachary is unimaginable. It’s impossible to find the right words in this moment, other than to say that we will support the family in whatever way they need.”

Our deepest condolences go out to the Winston family during this incredibly difficult and tragic time.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a suicide prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.