Former Miami football player arrested in 2006 deadly shooting of teammate

Author: Associated Press
Published:
FILE – In this Nov. 23, 2006, file photo, Bryan Pata’s family hold up his jersey at the beginning of an NCAA college football game between Miami and Boston College at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Rashaun Jones, 35, of Lake City, a former University of Miami football player was arrested Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, in connection with the 2006 fatal shooting of his teammate Bryan Pata. Pata, a 22-year-old, 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman, was shot several times outside of his Kendall, Fla., apartment the night of Nov. 7, 2006. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez, File)

A former University of Miami football player was arrested Thursday in connection with the 2006 fatal shooting of his teammate Bryan Pata.

Rashaun Jones, 35, of Lake City, was arrested in Marion County on a first-degree murder warrant by Miami-Dade police and the U.S. Marshals Service, police spokesperson Alvaro Zabaleta said.

South Florida authorities didn’t immediately release details about what led them to suspect Jones, who played three seasons for the Hurricanes and was a teammate of Pata’s.

Pata, a 22-year-old, 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman, was shot several times outside of his Kendall apartment the night of Nov. 7, 2006. Pata had been returning from campus in his black Infiniti. Some witnesses claimed to hear arguing and then gunshots. Despite having hundreds of dollars in his wallet, neither the car nor the cash were taken.

Jones was being held in Marion County, awaiting extradition to Miami-Dade. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney who could comment. Marion County is located about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of Orlando.

There is no mugshot available for Jones at this time.

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