Report: Alabama walk-on Kai Spears inside Brandon Miller's car during deadly shooting

Another Alabama player was at the scene of the January shooting involving former Crimson Tide player Darius Miles that killed 25-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris. Freshman walk-on Kai Spears was inside Brandon Miller’s car that night, The New York Times’ Billy Witz reported.

Spears is the fourth Alabama player revealed to be on the scene that night. In addition to Miller and Miles — who was indicted March 10 — freshman guard Jaden Bradley was also confirmed to be there. Miller’s car was hit by twice by gunfire that night.

Neither Miller nor Bradley have been charged with a crime. Spears was asked about his involvement and declined to comment. He has not played a game for the Crimson Tide this season.

“I’m sorry, I’m not going to be able to speak about that,” Spears said, via Witz.

UPDATE: Alabama athletics has released a statement to The Times about Witz’s story.

“Your story is inaccurate,” the statement read, via AL.com’s Mike Rodak. “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 dismissed from the team and escorted off campus in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and Miller wasn’t linked to the situation until a police testimony last month. A detective testified Miller received a text from Miles to bring the gun Michael Davis used to kill Harris. However, Miller’s lawyer released a statement saying he didn’t know the gun — which belonged to Miles, as previous court records stated — was in the car.

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne also said Miller thought he was giving Miles a ride home that night.

“Darius had been asking Brandon to come pick him up for close to an hour,” Byrne told ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel Feb. 22. “He was his ride that evening. Brandon was already on his way to pick up Darius when he received a text message from him that was reported in the media yesterday. I didn’t know that yesterday. I found that out today.”

As the NCAA Tournament gets underway, Alabama head coach Nate Oats said Miller has received increased security as a result of threats against him. Miller has also been the subject of chants from fans during road games late in the season.

“If you guys saw some of what I’ve seen sent his way, I think you would understand why that’s the case,” Oats said. “Some of the messages from people that can sit behind fake email addresses, but who knows whether they’re real or not, that I’ve seen. … Our administration has seen what I’ve seen, and it’s appropriate. It’s nothing a college kid should have to go through.”