Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie is in critical condition after a shooting in Florida that killed his brother, Tommie Battie IV, according to multiple reports.
The 22-year-old college football star was shot in the early hours of Saturday morning in a Sarasota parking lot.
His 24-year-old brother was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene, while Brian was taken to a local hospital.
Four other people were injured in the crossfire, and were transported to hospitals in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.
Deputies who responded to the incident ‘observed a large crowd with multiple shooting victims in the parking lot,’ per a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Officials said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident, though it wasn’t revealed what instigated the violence.
Brian rushed for 1,842 yards and scored 10 touchdowns across three seasons playing at South Florida.
One of Brian’s high school football coaches told the Sarasota Herald-Tribute that he was ‘the most talented player [he] ever coached.’
‘He was a two-time All-American in college. You don’t find that too often. He had an amazing burst,’ Brody Wiseman told the outlet Sunday.
‘His ability to accelerate was better than anybody I’ve seen. He could cut on a dime. And he was a really hard worker. I think a lot of people missed that,’ the Sailors’ offensive coordinator added.
‘He was just a tough kid. And he really cared about his teammates. He never acted like he was more important than anybody else. On the field, he had great vision. He would see a hole and just hit it a million miles an hour, and he was gone. I never saw anyone tackle him one-on-one. It was always the second and third guy.’
