Arrest made in shooting of Auburn RB Brian Battie

Field Level Media|published: Wed 22nd May, 18:57 2024

Nov 25, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) returns a kick during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Police arrested a man in Sarasota, Fla., on Wednesday and charged him with murder in the shooting that killed Auburn running back Brian Battie's brother.

Battie and three other men were injured in the shooting, and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office now has Darryl Bernard Brookins in custody as a suspect. Battie's brother, Tommy Battie IV, was pronounced dead at the scene at around 3:30 a.m. local time Saturday.

Brookins' charges include murder and attempted murder as a felon in possession of a firearm. ESPN reported that it is unknown whether or not Brookins has an attorney yet.

Brian Battie's condition is currently unclear, but in a social media post on X on Monday, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze said that the running back was "still on a ventilator" after experiencing a setback on Sunday night.

After three seasons at South Florida, Brian Battie joined the Tigers for the 2023 campaign and rushed for 227 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries. He also ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference in kick return average (23.0 yards).

In his three seasons with the Bulls, Brian Battie rushed for 1,842 yards and 10 TDs in 31 games from 2020-22. He was a first-team All-America as a kick returner in 2021.

Two women stating to be the godmothers of Brian Battie and his brother organized a GoFundMe to support the Battie family, and it had brought in over $96,000 thanks to 878 donations as of Wednesday evening.

--Field Level Media

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