Running back Brian Battie of the Auburn Tigers football team is in serious condition after his brother Tommie, 24, was shot and murdered on Saturday in Sarasota, Florida, the family’s hometown.
Battie transferred to Auburn prior to the 2023 season after playing his first three seasons of collegiate football at the University of South Florida.
In a statement released on Sunday, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze asked for continued prayer for Brian Battie.
According to officials, Auburn University running back Brian Battie is in serious condition after a gunshot on Saturday in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida.
Tommie Battie, 24, was declared deceased on the spot, per a news release issued by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Around 3:30 in the morning, deputies arrived on the site and took four more victims, including Brian Battie, to nearby hospitals in the counties of Manatee and Sarasota, according to the police.
Regarding the status of the remaining three victims, nothing has changed.
Hugh Freeze, the head coach of Auburn, asked for prayers for Battie in a statement released on Sunday.
The Auburn household. Please keep Brian Battie in your prayers. He is still on a ventilator because of a setback that occurred last night.
According to the SCSO’s report, the shooting “appears to be an isolated incident.” Anybody with information is invited to call Sarasota Crimestoppers at 941-366-8477 or the SCSO Criminal Investigations section at 941-861-4900. The event is still under investigation as a criminal matter.
Prior to moving to Auburn in advance of the 2023 season, Battie, a rising senior at Auburn, played his first three seasons of collegiate football at the University of South Florida.
Running back of 5 feet 7 inches and 168 pounds, he was the Tigers’ best kick returner in 2023, returning 28 kickoffs for 645 yards, or an average of 23 yards per return, enough for fourth place in the SEC.
During the previous season, Battie also had seven receptions for 52 yards and one score in addition to 51 runs for 227 yards.
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