Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a third person remains in custody, following the death of Hendon FC player Ezekiel Williams, 26.
Williams was hospitalized in the early hours of November 1 in Milton Keynes after he "sustained serious injuries" in a suspected assault, Thames Valley Police said, according to the BBC. He died of his injuries on Monday, November 2, prompting authorities to launch a murder investigation.
A November 4 BBC report said a 21-year-old man and a 28-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of murder, while a 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All three suspects are from the nearby town of Luton.
Police have asked anyone with information or footage from the Midsummer Boulevard area on the night in question to come forward.
Hendon FC confirmed the news in a statement posted to X on November 3. "We are stunned and heartbroken to announce the sudden and tragic passing of midfielder Ezekiel Williams yesterday afternoon aged 26," the club said.
"A humble, unassuming and generous individual with a razor-sharp wit, Eze joined the club in September and quickly established himself as a highly popular member of the dressing room and was beginning to carve a place for himself in midfield with a series of hard-working and selfless displays that summed him up as a person," the statement continued, noting that Williams had scored his first goal for the team just 10 days earlier.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Ezekiel's family, friends, and everyone who knew him at this devastating time. He will be very sadly missed by all of us at Hendon Football Club," the club concluded.
Hendon FC postponed its Wednesday fixture "to allow the players and management time to process this profoundly shocking news."
A GoFundMe page has also been set up in Williams' name. Organizers described him as "a selfless man that was known for helping others whenever possible, and took joy in seeing his close friends and family win."
"He had the purest of hearts, if you ever encountered Ezekiel you would have heard his words of encouragement and felt his infectious positivity," they added. "A man who never had anything given to him and was prepared to put in the work to achieve his full potential!"
