A fourth Alabama men’s basketball player has been identified as one of the individuals on the scene of the deadly Jan. 15 shooting where 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris was murdered, according to The New York Times. The Times reported Wednesday that freshman walk-on Kai Spears was also at the scene along with Brandon Miller, Jaden Bradley and Darius Miles, who had all been previously identified.
Spears and Miller were together in Miller’s car when the windshield of Miller’s vehicle took two bullets, The Times said. Neither were injured.
Alabama disputed the Times’ report in a statement on Wednesday less than 24 hours before its first-round NCAA Tournament game vs. No. 16 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Spears declined comment when asked about it in media availability on Wednesday.
“Your story is inaccurate,” Alabama reportedly told the Times in a statement. “Based on the information we have, there were no current student-athletes present at the scene other than Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley, who are both fully cooperating witnesses. From the outset, UA Athletics has fully cooperated with law enforcement and supported their investigation.”
Miles was indicted this month on a capital murder charge along with Michael Lynn Davis for the killing of Harris. Miles is accused of supplying the gun in the murder, though Davis is the one who allegedly committed the shooting. Miller is accused of driving the gun to the scene at the request of Miles, though his attorney denies he saw or handled the gun. He faces no charges in the case.
Miles was dismissed from the team after the incident came to light but Miller’s and Bradley’s involvement was not known until weeks afterward. They have continued to play for the Tide, who enter the 2023 NCAA Tournament this week as the No. 1 overall seed with the second-best betting odds to win it all.
Miller earned First Team All-American honors earlier this week and has shined for Alabama as a freshman, garnering buzz as a possible top-two pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
