SARASOTA, Fla. — A Sarasota man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for his alleged role in a shooting that left an Auburn University football player fighting for his life and his brother dead.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Task Force arrested Darryl Bernard Brookins, 28, on charges of murder, attempted murder, and as a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to the 3400 block of 17th Street around 3:30 a.m. and found large crowds around multiple shooting victims in a parking lot. Deputies found Tommie L. Battie, IV, 24, dead at the scene. Four other victims, including his brother Brian, were taken to local hospitals in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.
Brian Battie plays college football for the Auburn University Tigers. He started his career at South Florida before transferring to Auburn. Last season, he was the Tigers' top kick returner and also rushed for 227 yards as a running back.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said earlier this week on social media that Brian was on a ventilator and asked fans to pray for Brian.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Battie family following the shooting.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
