Crime

Alabama basketball player Darius Miles charged with capital murder following shooting near campus

January 15, 2023 / 5:48 PM PST / AP

Alabama basketball player Darius Miles and another man have been charged with capital murder after a fatal shooting near campus.

Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy said that the shooting occurred early Sunday morning in the Strip off University Blvd. near campus. He said Jamea Harris, 23, of the Birmingham area was shot and killed.

Miles, 21, a junior reserve forward from Washington, D.C., and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, of Charles County, Maryland, were both charged with capital murder. The capital murder charge arose because the death involved shots fired into a vehicle, Kennedy said.

"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. They didn't have a previous relationship, he said.

He said the driver of another vehicle, in which Harris was a passenger, approached campus police near Bryant-Denny Stadium at about 1:45 a.m. saying that someone had shot into the vehicle, and he fired back. One of the suspects was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital, and Kennedy declined to disclose who fired the gun or who was hurt.

Darius Miles #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide puts up a three during the second half against the Memphis Tigers at Coleman Coliseum on December 13, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Brandon Sumrall / Getty Images

An emotional Miles spoke to someone as he was being ushered into a law enforcement vehicle: "I swear I love you more than you can imagine."

Miles was a reserve on the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide team. Alabama had announced before Saturday's game against LSU that he was out for the season with an ankle injury. His bio has been removed from the athletic department website and the university said that he "has been removed from campus" and is no longer on the team.

"The University of Alabama's utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community," a university statement said. "We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim's family and friends."

Neither the driver of the other vehicle nor Harris nor Davis appeared to be affiliated with the university, Kennedy said.