Pitt football recruit arrested for allegedly abducting man at gunpoint, throwing him out of moving SUV
Four high school students have been arrested and charged with robbery, felony battery and kidnapping during a felony for allegedly attacking an 18-year-old man, abducting him into their SUV at gunpoint and throwing him out of the moving vehicle, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The only alleged attacker to be named is Timothy Brown, a standout defensive tackle for Palm Beach Gardens High School who is committed to playing college football at Pittsburgh. Brown is a 3-star recruit and the No. 41 defensive tackle in his class, according to Rivals.
Two other Palm Beach Gardens football players were reportedly also among those charged, but haven’t been named because they weren’t charged as adults (Brown turned 18 last month). Both players reportedly also had offers to play Division I football.
Details of alleged attack
The incident reportedly occurred early Thursday afternoon near a local Walmart. As described by the police report, the attack sounds disturbing.
The teen said three of the four jumped out of the SUV and punched and kicked him. He said he was dragged into the vehicle, where he said Brown pointed a black handgun at his face and told him to let go of his cellphone, which he did. He said the SUV began to drive off and that his assailants threw him from the moving vehicle.
The man said he previously had been “jumped” by the men while leaving his ROTC program. The report offered no further details on that incident.
A witness later told deputies he saw the attack, which he described as “violent as hell,” and said he was surprised by the level of viciousness, especially since it occurred in the middle of the day with people watching. A second witness, and surveillance-camera video from the parking lot, corroborated the events, the report said.
Palm Beach County deputies reportedly found the 18-year-old later with several scrapes and cuts on his limbs in the Walmart parking lot. The man reportedly refused to cooperate and press charges initially due to what the deputies suspected was a fear of retaliation. He also had to be hospitalized after suffering a violent seizure following the incident.
Brown is now reportedly under house arrest with permission to attend school, along with two of the other defendants.
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