Ohio State Buckeyes men’s soccer defender Nathan Demian was accidentally wounded in an off-campus shooting after the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals, the school said in a statement on Monday.
Demian was wounded in a shooting at around 2 a.m. ET. Columbus police said two vehicles were chasing each other and firing guns at each other when Demian was struck, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
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Ohio State defender Nathan Demian takes the field before the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal match against Wake Forest, Dec. 7, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The Columbus Dispatch reported that Demian was expected to survive. No suspects were immediately identified.
The school said Demian was “an innocent bystander” and not involved in the altercation.
“The soccer program is thankful for the incredible university support and medical care available to Nathan and his family during this difficult time,” the school said in a statement. “Nathan’s family is with him and the team is extremely close. The family has asked that everyone keep Nathan in their prayers. The department will do all it can to support Nathan, his family and the men’s soccer program in every way possible.”
“Because of the police investigation underway, the department will not be able to discuss the incident further.”
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Demian, of Canada, will be sidelined for the NCAA College Cup semifinals against Marshall. The shooting occurred after the team defeated Wake Forest in the Elite Eight.
Ohio State defender Nathan Demian is shown during the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal match, Dec. 7, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“We’re going to miss him on the field. But he’s such a huge personality,” Ohio State head coach Brian Maisonneuve told reporters Monday. “He really gets everybody going in practice and in games. He has got a great voice. He’s a character in the best way possible. And, like I said, his play speaks for itself. He’s a competitor, and it’s going to be tough not to have him out there.”
Demian is a redshirt junior from Vancouver. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Conference in 2022 and 2023 and was named to the Wolstein Classic All-Tournament Team in 2022.
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He missed his entire junior year because of an injury.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.