UPDATE: A spokesperson for GoFundMe told Global News the fundraising campaign was paused temporarily as the website worked to confirm the money raised would stay in Canada. The campaign was flagged as Kazbekov is from Russia, which is facing economic sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. The pause has since been lifted and the campaign is accessible again, as of 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Below is the the original article.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help support the family of London Knights centre Abakar Kazbekov.
The 18-year-old, who joined the Knights in 2021, died over the weekend after falling from a downtown condo tower, according to multiple media reports.
“He was a beloved son, brother, friend, and outstanding hockey player with the OHL London Knights #15,” Kazbekov’s family said in a statement on the GoFundMe page.
“We are absolutely devastated by Abakar’s passing and are looking for support from family, friends and the community to help cover the cost of the funeral arrangements.”
Kazbekov had been a member of the Knights since the start of last season, picked first overall by the team in the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection.
Originally from Moscow, Kazbekov previously played in the Russian under-16 and under-18 leagues, and moved to the Greater Toronto Area in 2019, where scouts and managers for the Knights first took notice of him.
With the Knights, he registered one assist in 12 appearances this season, and scored one goal in nine games last season. His final game was Friday’s match against Owen Sound, where the Knights took a 5-2 win at home. A Knights game on Saturday against Flint was postponed in the wake of Kazbekov’s death, the details of which remain limited.
“Our family is currently planning funeral arrangements and will provide information on a viewing and memorial to celebrate Abakar’s life, once we have confirmed the details,” the statement from his family said.
In a post on social media, the Knights organization said it, too, would “provide an update later as to how and when we will remember Abakar together.”
Police said they responded to the corner of Dufferin Avenue and Talbot Street, outside the Azure condo high-rise, around 8:20 a.m. Saturday for a report that a person had fallen from a building.
“Officers arrived on scene and located a person who was deceased. The investigation has been taken over by the Major Crime Section,” police said in a statement.
No foul play is suspected.
Officials have not released the name of the deceased, but several local media outlets identified the individual as Kazbekov.
The investigation remains ongoing, say police, who had no updates to provide on Monday.
— with files from Mike Stubbs of Global News, and files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press.
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