Cal State Northridge’s athletic department Monday is mourning a track and field athlete killed in a fiery crash in Westlake Village along with the brother of Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Frank Ocean.
The victims were identified as Ezekial (Zeek) Bishop, 20, and Ryan Breaux, 18, who had been classmates at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, according to the Thousand Oaks Acorn.
Breaux was the brother of Frank Ocean, whose birth name is Christopher Breaux.
Bishop enrolled at Cal State Northridge for the spring 2020 semester. He competed in three events during the 2020 indoor season for the Matadors, finishing 10th in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 8 1/4 inches and 16th in the 400 meters in 51.71 seconds in the NAU Tune Up Feb. 21 in Flagstaff, Arizona, and 24th in the long jump with a leap of 18-4 1/4 at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships Feb. 28 in Seattle.
“We will all mourn the loss of Zeek,” said CSUN track and field coach Justin Johnson. “Personally, I am grateful for the opportunity I had to know him, and professionally I will miss him dearly, as he was an honor to coach.
“Zeek had an incredibly bright personality and everyone loved him. He was a dedicated teammate, friend and a leader whose smile and laugh we will miss. I am still shocked and broken-hearted for his family, our team and his friends and want them all to know that Zeek was a great athlete, but more importantly a great young man, and he will always be a Matador.”
The university offered counseling to CSUN students, faculty and staff through University Counseling Services.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Frank and his family. RIP @rryanbreaux,” someone tweeted on the Frank Ocean fan page.
The crash occurred at 1:33 a.m. Sunday on Westlake Boulevard just north of Skelton Canyon Circle, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Arriving deputies saw the vehicle engulfed in flames, Deputy Wendell Campbell said.
” The initial investigation revealed the vehicle was traveling south on Westlake Boulevard approaching Skelton Canyon Circle. The vehicle appeared to leave the roadway and collide with a tree in the center median,” Campbell said. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
The vehicle was identified as a Tesla and Campbell did not indicate which man was driving.
A crash investigation is underway.