University of Alabama junior forward basketball player Darius Miles and another suspect have been charged with capital murder Sunday in the deadly shooting of a 23-year-old woman shot on the Strip in Tuscaloosa.
Miles had been ruled out for the basketball season one day before the shooting due to an ankle injury, local media reported. Just over 24-hours later, authorities arrested the college athlete and led him to the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
Video captured 21-year-old Miles crying during a perp walk repeating “I love you” and “I love you more than you can imagine,” to someone standing outside the county jail.
Miles, and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, have been charged in the killing of Jamea Jonae Harris, which occurred around 1:45 a.m. Sunday morning, according to local media.
Authorities were dispatched to a shooting at the Walk of Champions at Bryant Denny Stadium.
University of Alabama police witnessed a stopped vehicle where they found Harris dead inside, Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Capt. Jack Kennedy told AL.com.
Authorities said the unidentified driver of the vehicle told police the car had been struck by gunfire and returned fire in self-defense, which the driver believes may have hit a suspect.
Kennedy spoke with multiple witnesses and reviewed surrounding video surveillance footage, which assisted in identifying the two suspects.
Kennedy said both suspects were interviewed and found that one had been struck by gunfire and had a non-life-threatening wound.
“It appears at this time that the shooting was the result of a minor argument that occurred between the victims and suspects after they encountered each other along the strip,” Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Capt. Jack Kennedy told AL.com. “The member agencies of the Violent Crimes Unit utilized all their resources and worked together flawlessly to bring this case to a resolution in a rapid manner.”
The University of Alabama and its athletics department released statements to AL.com following the announcement of Miles’s arrest, saying that university officials “were made aware of the recent charge against student-athlete Darius Miles; he has been removed from campus and is no longer a member of the Alabama men’s basketball team.”
“The University of Alabama’s utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community,” the statement reads, in part. “We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends. We are grateful for the quick and thorough response of law enforcement and emergency response teams, and we will continue to fully support the ongoing investigation.”
“First and foremost, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the victim from last night’s incident,” UA Athletics officials said.
The official Alabama athletics website removed Miles’ profile after playing six season games before injuring his ankle.
Miles last played for the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide basketball team on Dec. 20, 2022, where he scored two points in Alabama’s 84-64 win over Jackson State, ESPN reported.