Former NFL player Antonio Brown will return to Miami from a New Jersey prison after deciding not to contest extradition to Florida on an attempted murder charge, officials said Friday.
(The video in the player above is taken from previous coverage.)
Brown, 37, was taken to prison in Essex County, New Jersey, after being arrested by US Marshals in Dubai. He waived extradition at a brief court hearing on Friday.
“Brown has returned to the Essex County Jail in Newark where he awaits arrest by Florida authorities,” said Carmen Martin, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Related | Former NFL star Antonio Brown has been arrested on attempted murder charges in a shooting in Miami
According to the arrest warrant, Brown is accused of taking a gun from a security employee after a celebrity boxing match on May 16, and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. The victim, Zulqarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators that one of the bullets hit his neck.
“Cellphone video obtained from social media showed Mr. Brown with the firearm in hand advancing toward Mr. Nantampo in the outdoor walkway. The video captures two shots talking while Mr. Brown was several feet away from Mr. Nantampo,” the arrest affidavit states. “The video also shows Mr Nantambu walking away after hearing the first shot.”
Brown was not immediately arrested that night because police did not initially identify Nantambu as the victim. It was not until May 21 that Nantambu gave police a full statement about the incident and identified Brown as the shooter, the affidavit says.
Based on his social media posts, Brown has been living in Dubai for several months. It was not immediately clear why investigators took so long to arrest him, or why he was transferred to New Jersey instead of Miami. It was also not clear from court or jail records whether Brown had an attorney.
In a social media post after the altercation, Brown said he was defending himself because “several individuals attempted to steal my jewelry and physically harm me.”
The attempted second-degree murder charge in Florida carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.
Brown, who spent 12 years in the NFL, was an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in 2021 for Tampa Bay but spent most of his career with Pittsburgh. During his career, Brown made 928 receptions for over 12,000 yards and 88 touchdowns. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times. He was a key part of the Buccaneers’ team that defeated Kansas City in the 2021 Super Bowl, including the touchdown pass thrown by Tom Brady.
Brown has dealt with many legal problems over the years. He had previously been charged with battery of a moving truck driver, numerous domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents.
During Tampa Bay’s 2021 game against the New York Jets, Brown took off his jersey, shoulder pads, and gloves and walked off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers and effectively ending his playing career.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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