Tulane basketball star Teshaun Hightower charged with murder
Hightower, 22, is accused, along with five others, including his brother Jeffrey, of shooting and killing a Georgia man, 24-year-old Devante Anthony Long
Tulane men’s basketball star Teshaun Hightower was arrested Saturday in Georgia on a murder charge and other counts.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. While the world mourned sports after the major leagues shut down due to the coronavirus, a Georgia family was mourning a son. Now, the college basketball star is one of the men charged with his murder.
Hightower, 22, (pictured, left) is accused, along with five others, including his brother Jeffrey, of shooting and killing a Georgia man, 24-year-old Devante Anthony Long. Hightower is originally from Lithonia, Ga according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and spent two years with the University of Georgia basketball team.
He transferred to Tulane University in New Orleans where the 6’5 junior was the Green Wave’s leading scorer, averaging 15.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He’d announced his decision to test the waters of the NBA draft on Twitter.
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the son of God. 1 John 5:5 pic.twitter.com/xOlGKpSdeh
— Teshaun Hightower (@TeshaunTh) April 19, 2020
Hightower is being held without bail in Georgia’s Henry County Jail, charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and battery. On Sunday, Tulane University said Hightower had been released from the team.
According to NBC Sports, the murder took place on April 8 at an apartment complex in Stockbridge, Ga, about a half-hour from Atlanta. The call came in at about 11 a.m. that Long had been shot. He died from his injuries in a local hospital some hours later. That same day, Hightower tweeted this:
God protect my people ??
— Teshaun Hightower (@TeshaunTh) April 8, 2020
On April 18, he tweeted “This too shall pass.”
According to a report in The Guardian, Teshaun’s brother, Jeffrey was the shooter. But Teshaun’s lawyer, Averick Walker, said that the shooting was in self-defense.
“He’s innocent. He didn’t shoot anybody,” Walker told The Guardian. “It’s sad that this detective sought to make him out to be a monster and he’s not. When it’s all said and done, it will come out in the wash that the person who did fire the gun shot the gun to protect Teshaun.”
Walker insisted that the shooting occurred to protect Teshaun.
“Teshaun’s brother actually fired the weapon and fired in self-defense. The victim came out of the house with a gun in his hand and turned his weapon toward Teshaun to shoot him. That’s why the victim was shot himself.”
On Instagram, Teshaun recently posted a highlight real with the caption: “Where I’m from somebody die the whole city try to claim em. Where I’m from youn make it, you gotta die to be famous ? #LLCMO??
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-mZVWflopj/
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