TORONTO, ON – A member of the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack Men’s Volleyball team was killed in a Wednesday afternoon car crash on Nov. 29, university President and Vice-Chancellor Brett Fairbairn confirmed on Nov. 30.
“It is hard to find words that express how we feel in these moments, in the face of such inexplicable tragedy,” Fairbairn said in his president’s message. “Our most sincere thoughts are with their families and loved ones, and on behalf of TRU, I offer our deepest condolences. We grieve with them, along with others, including their teammates, friends, classmates, and professors. This is a loss for the TRU community that will be felt for a long time.”
While one was killed, two are in critical condition. The crash sent seven to Royal Inland Hospital. The identity of the student-athlete was not shared.
All Wolfpack games are cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future.
Per local reporting in Kamloops, the crash happened at the intersection of McGill Road and Univesity Drive in the mid-afternoon, as a Dodge Ram truck hit several small trees and a Volkswagen stopped at a red light. The initial crash created a secondary one with four other vehicles.
“Our hearts are broken for the victims and their families involved in this terrible tragedy,” Kamloops RCMP officer in charge, Supt. Jeff Pelley told the media. “The three young adults in the Volkswagen were all members of the community in their 20s, and the loss is sure to have far-reaching impacts as we struggle to understand what happened and advance the active investigation as a priority.”
49 Sports will continue to monitor this story. Meanwhile, Thompson Rivers University has suggested support services for students, available through http://Keep.ME.Safe, by dropping by Old Main 1631 or calling 250.828.5023.
Cover image credit: TRU Athletics/(@supermario_47/X)
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