An arrest has been made in connection to a fatal shooting over the weekend in Sarasota, Florida, that left Auburn running back Brian Battie in critical condition. Suspect Darryl Brookins is in custody after turning himself in to Sarasota County deputies, his attorney told ABC7.
Battie's brother, 24-year-old Tommie Battie, was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident, which took place around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Four others, including the Tigers running back, were admitted to the hospital.
"Auburn family. Please continue to pray for Brian Battie," Tigers coach Hugh Freeze tweeted Monday. "There was a set back last night and he's still on a ventilator."
Battie served as Auburn's primary kick returner and provided depth at running back during the 2023 season. He finished fifth in the SEC in kick return average with 23 yards per touch and averaged just under 50 yards per kick return per game. Battie also rushed for 227 yards for the season, scoring a touchdown in a Nov. 11 win against Arkansas.
Prior to joining Auburn's roster, Battie spent three years at South Florida, where he emerged as one of the top kick returners in the nation. He was named a consensus All-American in 2021 after amassing 650 yards and three touchdowns as USF's primary kick returner. He also earned second-team All-AAC honors as a running back in 2022 after rushing for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games. He was a four-star prospect in 247Sports' 2023 transfer rankings,
Battie signed with South Florida in 2020 out of Sarasota High School.
