PROVIDENCE, R.I. â Marvins Antoine, an 18-year-old first-year student and running back at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, was killed in a stabbing early Saturday after an altercation that police said began at a Providence nightclub and moved into a nearby fast-food restaurant parking lot.
Antoine suffered stab wounds to his chest and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A second UMass Dartmouth player, 19-year-old freshman defensive back Kensley Macean, was wounded in the head and neck. Police described Maceanâs injuries as non-life-threatening.
The violence unfolded at about 12:30 a.m. on September 19 in the parking lot of a Wendyâs on Charles Street, across from Mezzo Lounge. Providence police said Antoine, Macean and other members of the football team had been at the venue before an altercation spilled across the street.
Suspect held as police investigate what led to the fight
Providence police said investigators identified a suspect who was being held in the custody of the UMass Dartmouth Police Department. Authorities had not publicly named that person, announced a criminal charge or explained how the suspect came into campus police custody as of the latest update.
Police also had not disclosed what caused the initial dispute or whether Antoine and Macean were specifically targeted. The distinction is important: a person being held in connection with an investigation has not necessarily been charged or convicted.
âAfter further investigation, a suspect was identified and is currently being held in the custody of the UMass Dartmouth Police Department,â Providence police said in a statement reported by CBS Boston.
NBC 10 reported that detectives were still trying to establish what happened immediately before the stabbing. Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Providence Police Department.
The incident came only hours after UMass Dartmouthâs football team lost 23-21 to Framingham State at home on Friday night. Neither Antoine nor Macean had recorded an appearance for the Corsairs during the opening three games of the 2026 season.
Who was Marvins Antoine?
Antoine was listed on the UMass Dartmouth roster as a 5-foot-10, 180-pound freshman running back from Boston. He wore No. 26, attended B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River and had not yet declared a major.
Local reporting said Antoine also played basketball and had competed for both Durfee and Atlantis Charter. A friend told the Fall River Reporter that the teenager had begun college only two weeks earlier and was outgoing, funny and able to make those around him smile.
UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Mark A. Fuller said the university was mourning alongside Antoineâs relatives, friends, classmates and teammates. He also offered support to Macean and expressed hope that the injured student would be able to return to his education.
âOur hearts and prayers are very much with Marvinsâ family, friends, classmates, and teammates as we mourn his loss together,â Fuller said.
The university said it had no reason to believe there was an ongoing threat to the campus community. Counseling and support services were being made available to students, faculty and staff affected by Antoineâs death.
This is a developing story. The article will be updated if police announce charges, identify the suspect or provide further information about Maceanâs condition.
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