Atrás
Williams sustained serious injuries in a suspected assault in Milton Keynes before his death
Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder while another was detained for assisting an offender
Hendon FC postponed a match as friends remembered Williams for mentoring young soccer players
A murder investigation has been initiated following the death of British professional soccer player Ezekiel Williams, the BBC reported on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Williams, a member of Hendon FC, sustained “serious injuries” on Sunday, Nov. 1 in the city of Milton Keynes, England, in what’s being described as a suspected assault. He succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Williams was 26 years old.
“We are stunned and heartbroken to announce the sudden and tragic passing of midfielder Ezekiel Williams yesterday afternoon aged 26,” Hendon FC said in a statement on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE’s free sports newsletter — sign up now!
Williams, who scored his first goal for the club just days before his death, is being remembered as a “humble, unassuming and generous individual with a razor-sharp wit” by the club, which he joined in September, and “quickly established himself as a highly popular member of the dressing room.”
The BBC reported Wednesday that two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and another individual has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Hendon FC postponed its London Senior Cup tie with Woodford Town scheduled for Wednesday “as a sign of respect, and to allow the players and management time to process this profoundly shocking news,” the club said.
A GoFundMe has been established in support of Williams and his family. Per the fundraiser’s description, Williams is remembered as “a selfless man that was known for helping others whenever possible” and someone who “took joy in seeing his close friends and family win!”
“He had the purest of hearts, if you ever encountered Ezekiel you would have heard his words of encouragement and felt his infectious positivity,” the fundraiser said, adding, “A man who never had anything given to him and was prepared to put in the work to achieve his full potential!”
Williams was passionate about football and “helping other young footballers at JOAP get closer to achieving their goal of becoming a professional footballer,” the GoFundMe said.
“He helped every young athlete he encountered from young children who gained ‘confidence’ from his sessions to players receiving professional academy contracts through his training!”
Read the original article on People