Former NFL player Antonio Brown was captured by US authorities on Thursday, four months after he allegedly opened fire at a crowded event in Miami, Florida.
The ex-player’s detention was confirmed by the Miami police, as perNBC, but the cops declined to divulge details on the place of his arrest or when the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver was taken into custody.
“Miami Police confirm that US Marshals have apprehended Antonio Brown and that he has been extradited to the US. No date has been set for his transfer to Miami-Dade County,” Miami police spokesperson Mike Vega was quoted as saying.
Brown was wanted in connection with a shooting on 16 May this year, which took place outside an amateur boxing event in the neighbourhood of Little Haiti in Miami. Videos showed the ex-player allegedly getting involved in a melee, following which gunshots were heard.
Although the former NFL player went on the run to avoid authorities, he was still active on social media and even posted a promotional video last week, where he was seen at an undisclosed location behind the wheel of a black Lamborghini.
Who is Antonio Brown?
The son of former professional American football player “Touchdown” Eddie Brown and Adrianne Moss, Antonio grew up in Miami.
His prowess as a footballer was identified while he was attending Alcorn State University, following which he received a scholarship to play at Florida International University.
However, Brown was soon expelled following an altercation with security, and went on to join the Central Michigan University, where he represented Central Michigan Chippewas at college-level football.
Following his two-year stint with the Central Michigan Chippewas, Brown was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, and went on to play a part at least in 12 NFL seasons.
During his NFL career, Brown appeared to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory, and led the league in receiving yards in 2014 and 2017, topping touchdown catches in 2018.
The 37-year-old also caught a scoring pass in the 2021 Super Bowl, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Kansas City Chiefs to the title.
Brown played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2010-2018), had a brief stint with the Oakland Raiders, and joined the New England Patriots in 2019.
In 2020, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped them win the Super Bowl next year. However, Brown’s career ended in spectacular fashion after he removed his jersey and stormed off the field after a disagreement with his head coach during a match against the New York Jets in January 2022.
Despite the explosive end to his career, Brown continues to have a large following on social media, and has since become known for his hot takes.
Most recently, the former wide back inserted himself into the conversation around the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Following Mamdani’s win the NYC mayoral election, Brown posted a short clip of the newly-appointed mayor, and appeared to call out Elon Musk.
“Double Standard @elon musk, (sic)” wrote the former NFL player, tagging the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.