A man from Sarasota has been accused of murder in a shooting that killed the brother of Brian Battie, a running back for Auburn University, and injured Battie along with three other men.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested Darryl Bernard Brookins on Wednesday in connection with the shooting that occurred over the weekend. Tommy Battie IV was fatally shot early Saturday.
Brookins faces charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as charges for possessing a firearm as a felon. It’s unclear at this time whether he has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
There have been no updates on Brian Battie’s condition.
Darryl Bernard (Via Sarasota County Sheriff)
Auburn coach Hugh Freeze shared on social media Monday that Battie remained on a ventilator following a setback the previous day.
Before joining Auburn, Battie played three seasons at South Florida. During his last season, he rushed for 227 yards and a touchdown and ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference for kick return average at 23.0 yards.
Standing at 5-foot-7 and weighing 168 pounds, Battie had a standout year in 2022, rushing for 1,186 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns over his career at South Florida.
As of Wednesday, a GoFundMe campaign launched by two women who identified themselves as the godmothers of the Battie brothers had raised more than $95,000.
