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Brother of Michigan State star Cassius Winston dies after being struck by train

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEC 03 Iowa at Michigan State

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Michigan State Spartans guard Cassius Winston (5) pushes the ball up the floor in transition during a Big Ten Conference college basketball game between Michigan State and Iowa on December 3, 2018, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI. (Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Zachary Winston, the younger brother of Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston, died on Saturday night when he was struck by a train in Albion, Michigan.

Albion Public Safety chief Scott Kipp told reporters that Zachary intentionally stepped in front of a train as it approached a pedestrian crosswalk just past the Erie Street crossing.

Zachary was a sophomore member of Albion University’s basketball team, along with the youngest Winston brother, Khy. Albion and Michigan State played in an exhibition game in October.

“As a community, our hearts are broken today as we share the news of the passing of one of our students, Zachary Winston,” Albion College president Mauri A. Ditzler wrote in a statement released on Sunday. “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.

“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.”

“Our hearts are filled with sorrow for the Winston family,” Michigan State head coach Tom 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.”