The brother of a retired NFL player accused of fatally shooting a youth football coach during a game last month has been indicted on a murder charge by a Dallas County grand jury.
Lancaster Police last month identified 39-year-old Yaqub Salik Talib as a suspect in the murder of 43-year-old Michael Hickmon.
Police said Hickmon was fatally shot during a youth football game in Lancaster on Aug. 13 after opposing coaches got into a fight and someone pulled out a gun.
Hickmon was injured in the shooting and was transported to Methodist Central Hospital for treatment where he later died. No other injuries were reported.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
The suspected gunman, later identified as Yaqub Talib, left the park after the shooting and was wanted by police until he surrendered two days later.
On Aug. 15 Talib surrendered at the Dallas County Jail on an outstanding warrant for first-degree murder and was taken into custody and ordered held on a $1 million bond.
On Thursday, Talib was being held in the Collin County Jail on bonds totaling more than $1.4 million for several charges including murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance.
Hickmon’s pastor, Kieth Hall of Grace Temple Fellowship Church said he was pleased to hear about the indictment but knows there’s still a journey ahead.
"When you’re holding someone accountable for what they’ve done, the pain that they’ve brought upon the family and the community, certainly we see it as a win, but yet we want to see the process go all the way through," said Hall.
Michael Freeman, a friend of Hickmon's and president of the Dragon Elite Academy, said he’s been in touch with other coaches; all of them thankful for the indictment. He released this statement to NBC 5:
“The entire [Dragon Elite Academy] family is happy to hear of the indictment of Yaqub Talib. This is a step in the right direction. We now entrust our legal system to ensure that Mike Hickmon receives the justice he deserves. We also call on all members of our community to stand up against these senseless acts of violence and help prevent this from happening again.”
Talib's attorney Clark Birdsall issued a statement on behalf of his client after he surrendered to police.
“Mr. Talib regrets the tragic loss of life and so he turned himself in today so that he would be able to say his side of the story," said Birdsall said.
According to records obtained by NBC 5, Talib has a criminal past in Dallas and Collin counties that includes charges of drug possession, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, abandoning a child/negligence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault.
Since Hickmon’s death, youth coaches throughout North Texas have been speaking out about the need for tighter rules and security at youth sporting events.
Talib is the brother of Aqib Talib, a former NFL cornerback and five-time Pro Bowler who announced his retirement in 2020 and was expected to be a contributor on Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" broadcast before stepping away after the fatal shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Senad Deranjic at 972-218-2756 or Crime Stoppers at 1-877-373-8477.
