Michigan State star Cassius Winston's brother dies after being hit by train

Chris Solari | Detroit Free Press

Michigan State basketball All-American Cassius Winston and his family suffered a major tragedy Saturday night.

Winston’s brother Zachary was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Albion, sources confirmed to the Free Press on Sunday morning.

WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo reported the Wolverine Train 355 struck a pedestrian on the tracks near Erie Street in Albion. The Albion Department of Public Safety identified the victim as an Albion College student and said he family had been contacted, the station reported.

More: Michigan State, U-D Jesuit families react to Zachary Winston's death

Amtrak media relations spokeswoman Kimberly D. Woods told the Free Press via email the Amtrak 355 Wolverine Train bound for Chicago “came into contact with a person on the track” at 8:41 p.m. and was temporarily suspended. There were 65 passengers on board, and there were no reported injuries on the train.

Woods said the Albion Police Department is investigating the incident.

Zachary Winston, a 19-year old University of Detroit Jesuit High graduate, was a sophomore on the Division III Albion men’s basketball team along with youngest brother, Khy. The Britons played Cassius and No. 1 MSU in an exhibition game on Oct. 29, but Zachary did not play due to an injury.

Winston was cleared to play this week and had three points, two assists and two steals in 15 minutes Friday in the Britons' 71-52 loss at Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 2.6 points in 13.8 minutes per game last season as a freshman.

Albion College president Mauri Ditzler issued a statement on Sunday morning, which did not name Winston as the victim.

"Last night, our family lost a student," the statement read. "And as families do in difficult times, we must come together to mourn and to embrace one another. We have been in close contact with the student’s family and are doing everything we can to support them. In accordance with the family’s wishes, we are not sharing a name or details at this time. Please keep the family close in your heart. We plan to offer grief counseling to our community and will be sharing details later today."

In April, Winston and his Albion roommate Milton “M.J.” Barnes, who are black, reported racist messages and swastikas had been left on the whiteboard outside the door of their dorm room since December, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.

It is unclear if Cassius Winston will play in Sunday night’s game for MSU against Binghamton (7 p.m., BTN).

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.