The family of Auburn running back Brian Battie is accepting donations after a shooting early Saturday morning that injured Battie, killed his brother and injured three others.
A GoFundMe has been started to help cover funeral expenses and medical bills, as Brian remains in the hospital, according to the GoFundMe’s home page. As of Sunday evening, it had already received $34,363 from 279 donations — more than one-third of its $100,000 goal.
Brian’s injury and his brother’s death were first reported Saturday morning, though official word on the shooting wasn’t disclosed by authorities until that afternoon. That’s when the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office said in a release that Tommie Battie was pronounced dead on the scene of a shooting that occurred early Saturday morning in the 3400 block of 17th Street in Sarasota.
People are also reading…
Brian Battie transferred to Auburn from South Florida for the 2023, where he had established himself as an All-American kick returner for the Bulls. He was a go-to return man for the Tigers last fall and one of several rushing options in a deep Auburn running back room.
In his lone season on the Plains, Battie rushed for 227 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries. He also logged 28 kick returns for 645 yards, which was fourth-most in the Southeastern Conference.
He rushed for a season-high 59 yards in a 27-10 loss to Texas A&M and scored his lone touchdown in his next best effort, when he ran for 42 yards in a 48-10 blowout of Arkansas.
Auburn’s Brian Battie (21) carries in the first half of an NCAA football game against Georgia on Saturday, Sep. 20, 2023 in Auburn.
