Rising Winnipeg basketball star accused in 'horrific' attempted murder

Police have arresteda rising basketball star from Winnipeg's inner city aftera serious assault in the West Endthat sent a 20-year-old woman to hospital in critical condition.

"This is a horrific assault," Winnipeg policeConst. Rob Carvertold reporters Wednesday. "The injuries were unbelievable."

Police responded to the area of Dominion Street near Ellice Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. CT Tuesday after reports of an assault.

Before officers arrived, a Good Samaritandrivingthrough the area noticed what had happened and stopped to help, and a man armed with a knife stole the driver's vehicle and sped off, police said.

Officers arrived to find a woman with serious injuries. She was rushed to hospital in critical condition but is now stable.

• Victim of 'very serious' West End assault is U of W student

RCMP arrested21-year-old Junior Sesay from Winnipeg on Highway 10 near the U.S. border. He wascharged with attempted murder, robbery,and breaking and entering.

Investigators believe the attackwasn't random asSesayand the woman are known to each other. Thewoman, who is a University of Winnipeg student, was in a relationship withSesay'sbrother, Carver said.

Carver said the most serious part of the assault happened on the street after the woman ran outside out of a home.

"For our investigators and for the people involved in this ... it's been difficult,nowhere near as difficult as it's been for the people directly involved, people who know her, her family."

Carver saidSesaywas known to police before the attack, but police did not elaborate.Sesayhas no criminal record in Manitoba.

• Basketball brothers have eye on big weekend games in Winnipeg

Sesay was known in the West End as a rising basketball star. In 2013, CBC News reportedthatSesaywas a standout player with theOak Park Raiderswhen he was in high school, and spent about three hours playing basketball every day.

He spoke to CBC aboutwanting to give back to the community.

TheSesayfamily three boys and a single mom cameto Canada from war-torn Sierra Leone when the children were young, according to a 2015 CBC News report about thebasketball accomplishments of Sesay and his brother.

Settling in Winnipeg wasn't always easy and the family struggled to get by, Sesay's brother said, adding basketball scholarships helped the brothers attend university.

That report saidSesaywasplaying for the University of Victoria's men's basketball team.He only played one season before returning to Winnipeg.

Rising Winnipeg basketball star accused in 'horrific' attempted murder

7 years ago

Duration 1:33

Police have arrested a rising basketball star from Winnipeg's inner-city after a serious assault in the West End that sent a 20-year-old woman to hospital in critical condition.