Girlfriend of suspect in Brian Battie shooting arrested, accused of helping him cover up crime

SARASOTA, Fla. - Investigators have arrested the girlfriend of the man charged in a Sarasota County shooting that injured Auburn football player Brian Battie and killed his brother in May.

According to an arrest affidavit, Nicole Roberts, 29, helped Darryl Brookins get away from the scene of the May 18 shooting in a rental car and later got rid of the gun detectives say was used to carry out the crime.

The sheriff's office says Brookins opened fire in the parking lot of the Tallywood Centre Plaza early that morning, hitting five people. Records show Tommie Battie IV and Brian Battie returned fire.

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Tommie Battie IV died while Brian was critically injured from a gunshot wound to the head. Court records later showed Brian Battie, who played football at the University of South Florida before transferring to Auburn, could be paralyzed permanently due to his injuries.

According to the latest affidavit, Roberts drove Brookins away from the scene in a Hyundai Elantra rented under her name, with surveillance video showing Roberts throwing a gun into the Manatee River in the hours following the shooting.

Investigators later recovered a Glock 9mm handgun from the river.

Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

The arrest report for Roberts says she went to Walgreens off University Parkway about eight hours after the shooting and bought several first aid items, including adhesive strips meant for closing wounds, along with blood clotting spray.

Roberts was later arrested and faces an accessory charge. She's expected back in court Friday.

Brookins is being held without bond on charges of second degree murder and attempted murder.

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