Photo: Tuscaloosa County Jail
Alabama men's basketball player Darius Miles was among two individuals charged with capital murder in connection to the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old woman near the University of Alabama campus early Sunday (January 15) morning, ESPN reports.
Michael Lynn Davis, 20, of Charles County, Maryland, was identified as the other individual charged in the incident.
Jamea Harris, of Birmingham, was identified as the victim shot and killed during the incident, which took place in the Strip off University Boulevard following a "minor altercation" with Miles and Davis, according to Tuscaloosa Police Captain Jack Kennedy.
Miles and Davis were charged with capital murder because shots involved in the fatal incident were reported to be fired into a vehicle, according to Kennedy.
"At this time, it appears that the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip,'' Kennedy said in a news conference Sunday evening, adding that the two men didn't have a previous relationship with Harris.
The driver of another vehicle, in which Harris was a passenger, made contact with University of Alabama campus police at 1:45 a.m. and said someone had shot into the vehicle and he fired back.
One of the two suspects were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a nearby hospital, according to Kennedy, who declined to identify who it was or which of the two men fired the gun.
Neither Harris nor the driver were believed to be affiliated with the University of Alabama, according to Kennedy.
A video shared by AL.com shows Miles saying, "I swear...I love you more than you imagine," while being escorted into a police vehicle by officers.
A Tuscaloosa County Jail official told ESPN that Miles was booked into the facility at around 6:45 p.m on Sunday.
The incident took place hours after No. 4 Alabama had announced that Miles was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022-23 season due to an ankle injury ahead of its 106-66 win against LSU.
The University of Alabama confirmed that the junior reserve forward was no longer part of the men's basketball team and had "been removed from campus" in a statement obtained by ESPN in response to Sunday's incident.
"The University of Alabama's utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community,'' the statement read. "We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim's family and friends.''
Miles played in six games for No. 4 Alabama during the 2022-23 season, which included scoring two points in his last appearance during the Crimson Tide's 84-64 win against Jackson State on December 20.