Former NFL star Antonio Brown arrested on attempted murder charge in Dubai and sent back to US
Phoebe Tonks
Featured Image Credit: Elsa/Getty Images
Former NFL star Antonio Brown has officially been taken into custody following a four-month effort to track him down in connection with a shooting in Miami.
Officers have been searching for Brown since June 2025, when a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with a shooting in the Little Haiti area of the city.
The charge stems from an incident on May 16, when shots were reportedly fired at an amateur boxing match.
Miami Police Dept spokesperson Mike Vega confirmed Brown’s arrest in Dubai on Thursday evening, but declined to elaborate on where exactly the former player was taken into custody.
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“Miami Police confirm that US Marshals have apprehended Antonio Brown and that he has been extradited to the US,” Vega said.
It is now understood that Brown was detained in the United Arab Emirates and was being returned to the US to face a second-degree attempted murder charge.
"Let this serve as a clear message: No matter who you are or where you run, we will pursue the facts, identify you, locate you, and bring you to justice," Chief Manuel Morales said in a statement. "To anyone even considering committing a crime in Miami — know this: We will find you.
Online videos posted following the shooting showed Brown caught up in a melee of gunfire, with multiple witnesses at the scene claiming that Brown was the one behind the shots.
At the time of the shooting, Brown was detained by police officers and patted down, however, he did not appear to be carrying a firearm.
Speaking back in May, Brown professed his innocence on X, writing: “I was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me. Contrary to some video circulating, Police temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me.”
However, after reviewing security footage from the night of the shooting, Miami Police identified Brown as punching another man, sparking three other individuals to join the fight.
The footage also allegedly showed Brown taking the firearm of a security officer and approaching the man he had punched.
Two shots were fired at the match, with the alleged victim later also positively identifying Brown as his attacker.
The man, who has known the NFL player since 2022, had visible injuries, including a graze to his neck and was treated at the hospital on the night of the incident.
Since the warrant for his arrest was released back in June, Brown had somehow managed to evade the authorities for four months, despite regularly posting on social media.
Last week, he posted an advert for online sports betting website BC Game, which featured the former NFL player seated behind the wheel of a Lamborghini.
Addressing his more than 15 million followers, Brown wrote: “Locked in, living good, and VIP energy hits different. Appreciate the love!”
Brown previously played for the NFL for 11 years, playing in 12 seasons for several teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He led the league in receiving yards in 2014 and 2017 and in touchdown catches in 2018 with one career highlight being a scoring pass in the 2021 Super Bowl.