A tragic stabbing incident early Saturday has left a University of Massachusetts Dartmouth football player dead and another wounded in Providence, Rhode Island. The police reported that a fellow UMass Dartmouth student has been arrested and charged with murder.

Incident Details

Marvins Antoine, a freshman running back, and other team players visited a nightclub in Providence on Friday night. Earlier that day, they played a home game against Framingham State. An altercation around midnight at Mezzo Lounge escalated, moving to the parking lot of a nearby Wendy’s restaurant where the stabbing took place.

Antoine, 18, suffered fatal stab wounds to the chest and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Kensley Macean, a 19-year-old freshman defensive back, was also injured, receiving what police described as “non-life-threatening injuries” to his head, neck, and left arm.

Arrest and Investigation

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez announced the arrest of another UMass Dartmouth student, 19-year-old Chukuwnonoso Uzoma Eze. Eze, who is not part of the football team, was detained on the university campus by campus police. He is expected to be extradited to Rhode Island to face murder charges.

Perez explained that the initial conflict involved a female and some victims waiting in line. The situation escalated to the Wendy’s parking lot. Investigators used Flock cameras to identify the car Eze used to flee, leading to his arrest on campus.

Community Response

UMass Dartmouth is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Providence and 60 miles south of Boston. The university community mourns the loss of Antoine, who graduated from Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Chancellor Mark Fuller expressed his condolences: “Our hearts and prayers are with Marvins’ family, friends, classmates, and teammates as we mourn his loss together. We also send our best wishes for Kensley’s recovery.”

Orlando Delgado, Antoine’s former high school teammate, remembered him as a role model aspiring to play in the NFL. “He was super loyal. He was an example setter,” Delgado shared.

Xavier Gracia, another former teammate, echoed these sentiments, describing Antoine as “a peacemaker” and “a good person all around.” Ashania Chambers, Delgado’s mother, added, “He was like an older brother to everybody.”