Police in Dunwoody, Ga. are looking to speak with Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard in connection with an unsolved shooting that took place at a home owned by his former agent.
Barry Jackson, Adam H. Beasley and David Ovalle of the Miami Herald indicated that Howard’s name appears as a person of interest in the shooting and disturbingly noted that one round pierced the playroom of a child.
“The home is owned by sports agent Damarius Bilbo, who represented Howard until the two parted ways over a business dispute sometime after October,” Jackson, Beasley and Ovalle wrote.
“Howard’s name is in the June 29 police report about the shooting. So is Ray Gibson, 29; Angelica Brown, 27, whose car was spotted at the crime scene; and Leonardo ‘Ken’ Underwood, 45, a Howard associate who appeared to be in contact with Gibson multiple times on the day of the attack before it happened.
“Gibson and Brown shared an address, according to the police report, which misspells Howard’s first name as Xavier. Cameras in the development identified a vehicle registered to Brown as entering the subdivision during the time the alleged shooting happened.
“Dunwoody, Georgia, police on multiple occasions have requested an interview with Howard, but he has declined, according to a source with direct knowledge of the investigation. The most recent request was made in the past few weeks.”
In the months since the shooting, police have been unsuccessful in attempting to interview Howard, though Jackson, Beasley and Ovalle noted that a representative of the cornerback issued a denial that Howard has any connection to the shooting.
“Xavien was not involved in this incident and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise,” said sports attorney Darren Heitner.
Thus far, the NFL has refused to comment on the situation.
The timing of the shooting and Howard’s subsequent split from Bilbo will no doubt spark rumors, though Howard is currently more focused on trying to have his current contract with the Dolphins renegotiated.
Some speculation has arisen about Howard demanding a trade if he doesn’t get a new deal, though there’s no indication that the Dolphins are taking that possibility under consideration.
