Ex-NFL Star Antonio Brown Sought for Attempted Murder

Authorities in Miami-Dade County are seeking to arrest former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown on a charge of attempted murder stemming from a shooting at a celebrity boxing event in May, according to a warrant reviewed by The Washington Post.

The warrant, which was signed by a judge Wednesday, lists a charge of attempted murder with a firearm and calls for Brown to post a $10,000 bond and remain under house arrest pending trial. Efforts to reach Brown, 36, were unsuccessful Thursday evening; it was unclear whether he was represented by an attorney.

This marks the latest legal entanglement for the talented but mercurial wide receiver who last played in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.

The criminal charge stems from an incident outside a boxing event in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, after which Brown was detained by police and released hours later.

According to the warrant, officers responded to a report of gunshots being fired outside of the venue shortly before midnight May 16. When they arrived, an off-duty officer working security at the event said he left the venue after being told of the sound of gunfire, according to the warrant, and said he then observed Brown involved in a physical altercation with another man.

Patrons in the parking lot told officers that Brown was the shooter, according to the warrant, which also states that Brown had no weapon on him when officers patted him down. Investigators found two spent shell casings and an empty gun holster, according to the warrant.

Brown, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, was released later that night and later took to social media to say he had been “jumped” by people trying to steal his jewelry.

According to the warrant, Miami police detectives later obtained video footage that appears to show Brown punching another man, sparking a melee, and the footage later shows Brown appearing to take the gun of a security officer and running toward the man he had punched. According to the warrant, cellphone video captures two gunshots as Brown approaches the victim and includes the victim ducking.

On May 21, according to the warrant, detectives met with the alleged victim, who told them that after the initial fight had been broken up, Brown “began to run toward him with a firearm” and shot at him twice, possibly grazing his neck. The two struggled over the gun before police arrived and Brown walked away, the warrant said. The man left and went to Aventura Hospital for treatment of his injuries. The man identified Brown on the surveillance footage and said he has known him since 2022, according to the warrant.

A sixth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, Brown emerged as one of the top wide receivers of his generation before his turbulent exit from football amid erratic behavior and inflammatory social media posts.

Brown was named an all-pro four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017. His career soon eroded.

The Steelers traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders in 2019, but Brown forced his way off the team before playing a down. He arrived late to training camp after he injured his feet by stepping barefoot into a cryotherapy chamber, refused to play with a helmet that conformed to NFL rules and posted a voicemail from his coach pleading with him to play.

The antics prompted his release and subsequent signing with the New England Patriots, where he formed a surprising bond with quarterback Tom Brady. He lasted just one game before the Patriots released him following a lawsuit by a former trainer alleging rape and sexual assault. Brown also sent the woman intimidating messages after the lawsuit became public in media reports.

The NFL suspended Brown for the first eight games of the 2020 season, after which he resurfaced alongside Brady, this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brown lived at Brady’s house during the season and caught a touchdown from Brady in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl victory.

Even as Brown thrived on the field, his off-field issues continued. He allegedly destroyed a security camera and chucked a bicycle at his South Florida gated community, where he lived in the offseason. He faced a slew of allegations of unpaid debts.

The final act of his playing career doubled as one of the strangest exits in NFL history. In the last week of the 2021 regular season in a Buccaneers game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Brown grew unhappy with his playing time. He ripped off his shoulder pads, helmet and gloves and skipped shirtless into the locker room, waving his arms at the crowd.

Since his unofficial retirement from football, Brown has faced continued allegations of misconduct. He allegedly exposed himself to a woman at hotel in Dubai in 2022. Police have issued arrest warrants for him for alleged domestic violence and failure to pay child support. In May 2024, he reportedly filed for bankruptcy. In online postings, Brown has frequently attributed his unpredictability to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the brain damage associated with football’s repeated blows to the head.