Suspect arrested in Florida shooting that injured Auburn RB Brian Battie and killed his brother
Auburn running back Brian Battie (21) runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA football game against Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. A Sarasota man has been charged with murder in a shooting that killed the brother of Battie and left Battie and three other men injured. Credit: AP/Stew Milne
SARASOTA, Fla. — A Sarasota man has been charged with murder in a shooting that killed the brother of Auburn running back Brian Battie and injured Battie and three other men.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office arrested Darryl Bernard Brookins on Wednesday as a suspect in the weekend shooting. Tommy Battie IV was pronounced dead at the scene early Saturday.
Brookins has been charged with murder and attempted murder as a felon in possession of a firearm. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
There has been no official update on Brian Battie's status. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze posted on social media Monday that Battie was “still on a ventilator” after a setback the previous day.
Battie spent three seasons at South Florida before transferring to Auburn. He ran for 227 yards and a touchdown last season while ranking fourth in the Southeastern Conference in kick return average (23.0 yards).
The 5-foot-7, 168-pounder ran for 1,186 yards in 2022 and finished his South Florida career with 1,842 yards and 10 touchdowns.
A GoFundMe page started by two women who said they were godmothers of the Battie brothers had raised more than $95,000 by Wednesday.
In this image released by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, deputies, with assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, take Darryl Bernard Brookins into custody, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Florida. Brookins has been charged with murder in a weekend shooting that killed the brother of Auburn running back Brian Battie and left Battie and three other men injured in Sarasota, Fla. Credit: AP
