A shooting on Sunday morning near the University of Alabama’s campus led to the capital murder charges of two individuals, including the men’s basketball player Darius Miles. This tragic incident claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman.
Alabama has made these statements: “We were made aware of the recent charge against student-athlete Darius Miles, and he is no longer a member of the Alabama men’s basketball team,” the University of Alabama athletics department said in a statement Sunday.
At approximately 6:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Miles was taken into custody at the Tuscaloosa County Jail, according to an official from the jail who spoke to ESPN. The university then issued a statement that same day, announcing that the junior reserve forward from Washington, D.C. was no longer a member of the team.
Jack Kennedy, a captain of the Tuscaloosa police force, reported that an incident of gunfire erupted in the Strip, situated close to the university, in the early hours of Sunday. He further stated that Jamea Harris, hailing from the Birmingham region, was fatally wounded.
Miles, 21, and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, both hailing from Charles County, Maryland, were indicted for capital homicide. This charge was triggered due to shots being fired into a vehicle, as reported by Kennedy.
Kennedy declared at a press conference Sunday night that the only possible motivation for this crime seemed to be a minor disagreement between the criminals and the victim that had occurred while they had been on the Strip. Furthermore, the individuals involved had no prior relationship.
According to him, a car, which had Harris as one of its passengers, drove up to the campus police near Bryant-Denny Stadium at approximately 1:45 a.m. The driver reported that shots had been fired at the vehicle and that he had returned fire. One of the suspects was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and Kennedy declined to reveal who had fired or who was injured.
Kennedy noted that neither the driver of the car nor either of the two individuals, Harris nor Davis, appeared to be connected to the university.
Darius has been blamed for being part of this calamity, however, he has proclaimed his purity and awaits his day in court. Our company’s inquiry is still taking place and no other comment will be issued currently.
On Saturday, it was declared by Alabama that Miles would be absent for the remainder of the year due to an ankle injury. His biography has been taken down from the athletic department’s website, and the university stated in its announcement that he “has been taken away from campus.”
At a press conference on Monday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s head coach Nate Oats addressed reporters, though he stated that he was restricted in what he could say regarding Miles.
He began his remarks by expressing his sympathy for the family and friends of Jamea Harris, a young woman and mother who was tragically taken away. He said that it is an incredibly sad situation and their thoughts and prayers are with those grieving her loss. As the investigation remains ongoing, there is no further information to share.
Miles’ absence last month was due to a personal issue, followed by an ankle injury that eventually led to the conclusion to terminate his season on the same day the shooting took place. Coach Oats indicated this was the reason for the decision.
According to Coach Oats, he had gone back to his Washington home for a private matter and then sustained an ankle injury, which had been a lingering issue. He explained that these events were not connected to the incident on Sunday morning.
On Sunday morning Coach Oats was awakened to the news of the shooting and quickly contacted the Alabama athletic director, Greg Byrne. His thoughts were with Harris, her family, and the team. Coach Oats said the tragedy had a personal connection due to his own daughters and the fact that he had to speak to Miles’ mother as well.
Miles was declared to be the only individual from the Alabama team related to the shooting, according to Coach Oats. He further reported that his team had gathered on Sunday evening and exchanged “many embraces”.
In a video shared by AL.com, Miles is shown being taken to a law enforcement vehicle while expressing his love to someone with a passionate declaration of, “I swear … I love you more than you imagine.”
Miles had taken part in six contests this season. The most recent time he represented the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide was on December 20th, where he scored two points in Alabama’s 84-64 victory over Jackson State.
This report was made possible through contributions from the Associated Press.
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