Attempted murder charge against player stuns Winnipeg basketball community

Winnipeg's basketball community is reeling after a female player from the University of Winnipeg was brutally assaulted and another player ischarged with attempted murder.

"The one word of devastation is really the one that sums it up best," said AdamWedlake, executive director of Basketball Manitoba.

"When the newsstarted coming out yesterday of who was involved in the situationfrom Tuesday morning,it was mind-blowing."

It's definitely anearth-shakerright now for our community.- AdamWedlake, Basketball Manitoba

The 20-year-old victim, in her second year with the U of W Wesmen, was taken to hospital in critical condition after she was attacked in the city's West End on Tuesday.

The road and sidewalk in the area of ElliceAvenue near Dominion Street was stained with blood for hours afterwards.

The woman is now listed in stable condition and herboyfriend's brother, Junior Sesay, 21, is charged.

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Sesay wasknown as a rising basketball star while he was attending Oak Park High School. When he graduated in 2013, he was named the Winnipeg 4A boys basketball player of the year.

Sesay then played for the University of Victoriamen's basketball team on a scholarship. Hestayed two years before returning to Winnipeg, where he joined the Wesmenlast fall.

"When you hear of one person that you know of that's involved, in this casein the sport of basketball,that's one thing. And then bang, it's another [when]the victim who was involved is as well [from the same sporting community]," Wedlake said.

"That makes it like a triple whammy in the mind where it's still reeling. It hasn't set in yet. It may never sink in."

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TheSesayfamily three boys and a single mom cameto Canada from wartorn Sierra Leone when the children were young but the family hasstruggled to get by financially.

"They've used the sport to better themselves, to provide opportunities that probably wouldn't have been there to go to [post-secondary]school,"Wedlake said.

Sesay'syounger brother, William, is on a scholarship at the U of W and just finished his second year. He is on a "very similartrajectory story as Junior had," Wedlake said.

Junior Sesay arrested in connection with an attempted murder

7 years ago

Duration 1:50

Winnipeg's basketball community is reeling after a female player from the University of Winnipeg was brutally assaulted and another player is charged with attempted murder.

"Both were great, standout players in our programs, our young community programs that first got them started in the sport," he said.

"So yeah, it's definitely an earth-shakerright now for our community."

Someone whohappened to be drivingthrough the area just after Tuesday's assault stopped to help the woman. A man armed with a knife stole that person's vehicle and sped off, police said.

Sesay was eventually found on Highway 10 near the U.S. border. He wascharged with attempted murder, robbery,and breaking and entering.

Wedlakesaid the basketball community is doing what it can to support the injuredwoman and her family.

"The young lady is not alone. This is definitely something that we all feel and we want to ensure that we embrace her and give her what she needs to get through this," he said.

He has alsospokenwith the Wesmen women's coach at the U of W and said many of the victim's teammate are trying to come to grips with what happened.

"I know many of the girls on the team are facing this head-on," he said.