Photo: Lancaster Police Department
Yaqub Talib, the brother of former NFL All-Pro safety and Super Bowl champion Aqib Talib, was sentenced to 37 years in prison on Monday (August 7) in relation to a murder charge stemming from an incident that took place during a youth football game last year, FOX 4 News reports.
Last month, Talib, 40, agreed to plead guilty in the August 2022 shooting death of Michael Hickmon, 43, Dallas County district attorney's office spokeswoman Claire Crouch announced at the time.
Witnesses said Talib, then a coach for the North Dallas United Bobcats, and Hickmon, a coach for the D.E.A. Dragons, were arguing over the score of the game between the two teams and calls made by officials before Talib pulled out a handgun and shot Hickmon, a police affidavit states.
“The altercation became physical, leading to the suspect pulling out a firearm and shooting Mr. Hickmon multiple times,” the Lancaster Police Department said in a statement obtained by CNN on August 16. “After the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in an unidentified vehicle, taking the firearm with him.”
Witnesses who provided the information to police said they knew of Talib prior to the incident due to his involvement in the league. Talib surrendered to police in relation to a first-degree murder charge on August 17 after police issued a warrant for his arrest on August 14, CNN reported.
Hickmon was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Aqib Talib was also coaching the North Dallas United Bobcats and was at the scene at the time of the shooting, but wasn't reported to be involved in the incident. The 36-year-old played for five NFL teams -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008-12), New England Patriots (2012-13), Denver Broncos (2014-17), Los Angeles Rams (2018-19), and Miami Dolphins (2019) -- and was a member of the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 team, as well as a first-team All-Pro in 2016, second-team All-Pro in 2013 and a five-time Pro Bowl selection (2013-17).