Battie off ventilator, has movement in limbs

[aubiefifty 18,260]

al.com

Brian Battie off ventilator, has movement in limbs after shooting, according to a GoFundMe

Updated: Jun. 05, 2024, 4:30 p.m.|Published: Jun. 05, 2024, 2:40 p.m.

~3 minutes

Auburn running back Brian Battie (21) pushes past Arkansas defenders to score a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)AP

Auburn running back Brian Battie was taken off a ventilator Wednesday and has shown movement in his extremities, according to a posted update by his godmothers on a GoFundMe page that they organized for Battie and his brother Tommie Battie IV.

Tommie Battie IV was killed and Brian Battie critically injured during a May 18 shooting outside a strip mall in Sarasota, Florida. Tommie Battie IV died at the scene and Brian Battie was taken to a local hospital.

According to the update posted Wednesday, Brian Battie remains in the intensive care unit, but has shown some of the most significant progress since the shooting.

“Brian was able to give a “thumbs up” to his mom with his left hand and showed movement in his left leg,” godmothers Kelli Raines and Tanya Babinski wrote Wednesday. “The right side of his body had not shown any sign of movement until two days ago, by the grace of God, Brian was able to move his right knee and leg. This news comes as a miracle, but Brian is a fighter and always has been.”

While taken off a ventilator, Battie needed a tracheotomy, a surgical procedure making a small incision in the neck to put a tube in to allow him to breathe without his nose or mouth.

Sarasota deputies arrested suspected shooter Darryl Brookins and charged him with the murder of Tommie Battie IV and attempted murder for Brian Battie. Deputies also arrested Brookin’s girlfriend Nicole Roberts, according to reports, for allegedly discarding the gun used in the shooting.

Previous court documents filed to deny Brookins a pre-trial release stated that Brian Battie could have “permanent paralysis” if he survived.

The GoFundMe has raised more than $100,000 for the Battie family.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at mcohen@al.com

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[HAYinthemiddleoftheBARN 286]

God please continue to heal Brian!