Lam Diing — a 23-year-old football player and third-year student at the University of Waterloo — has been identified as the victim of a fatal stabbing that took place near Stanley Park early Sunday morning.
Waterloo Regional Police Service [WRPS] spokesperson, Cherri Greeno, confirmed to The Cord that WRPS were dispatched to a Kenora Drive residence around 12 a.m. after reports of an altercation outside the house. Upon arriving, police found Diing lying in a snowbank suffering from a stab wound; he was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Greeno said that police are still canvassing the area surrounding Stanley Park to speak with residents who might have more information.
Police have identified the accused as 22-year-old Nicholas Salim Ndayisenga. Ndayisenga has been charged with Second Degree Murder and will appear in court later today.
Police told The Record that the initial investigation suggested the attack was targeted and that the victim and the accused knew each other.
Diing moved to Canada from Sudan in 2007 to escape violence and civil unrest in his homeland. He began playing football in the tenth grade as a student at Eastwood Collegiate and quickly developed a passion for the sport.
As a wide receiver for the Waterloo Warriors he finished last season with seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown, as well as an invite to the CFL’s Ontario regional combine in March.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset funeral costs for the victim’s family. It has currently exceeded it’s $8,000 goal by more than $5,000.
Around 1 p.m. the University of Waterloo posted the following statement on their website:
“Students, faculty and staff are mourning the loss of student Lam Diing, who died tragically early Sunday morning in Kitchener.
“Lam’s passing will be felt by our entire campus community and most directly by the members of our football program,’ said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor at Waterloo. “Our hearts go out to Lam’s family. The University will provide any and all assistance it can to them in their time of grief.”
Diing was in his third year in the Faculty of Arts and was a member of the varsity football program.
“The connection Lam had to many of his fellow student-athletes and coaches is why this is devastating to so many of us,” said Roly Webster, director of athletics and recreation at Waterloo. “We will now need to draw on the collective strength of the Warrior family to support each other as we grieve this loss.”
“Lam was a tremendous student athlete who made those around him better with his work ethic and glowing smile,” added Chris Bertoia, head coach of Waterloo’s football program. “The Waterloo football family expresses our deepest sympathies to those who knew Lam, who will be forever missed on and off the field.”
Diing’s death is the subject of a police investigation and, as such, the University is not providing any further comment.”
