Arrest in shooting of Auburn RB Brian Battie

On Wednesday, a man was arrested in Sarasota, Fla., and charged with murder in the shooting that took the life of Auburn running back Brian Battie’s brother. The shooting also left Battie and three other men injured. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as Darryl Bernard Brookins. Tommy Battie IV, Brian Battie’s brother, was pronounced dead at the scene around 3:30 a.m. local time on Saturday. Brookins is facing charges of murder and attempted murder as a felon in possession of a firearm. ESPN reported that it is unclear if Brookins has secured legal representation. Brian Battie’s current condition is unknown, but Auburn coach Hugh Freeze mentioned in a social media post that the running back is “still on a ventilator” following a setback on Sunday night. Brian Battie joined the Tigers for the 2023 season after three seasons at South Florida, where he rushed for 227 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries. He also ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference in kick return average at 23.0 yards. During his time with the Bulls from 2020-2022, Brian Battie accumulated 1,842 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 31 games. He was named a first-team All-American kick returner in 2021. Two women who claim to be the godmothers of Brian Battie and his brother started a GoFundMe to support the Battie family. As of Wednesday evening, the fundraiser had received over $96,000 from 878 donations. –Field Level Media