‘Bullets flying’: Football star arrested over murder in Florida bar

A former college football star is facing second-degree murder charges after allegedly opening fire in a bar in a chaotic scene.

The former college player has been charged with murder. Photo: Getty Images

Former Miami Hurricanes football player Avantae Williams, 24, was arrested on Tuesday (AEST) and charged with second-degree murder, according to multiple reports.

Keshod Harris, 32, was shot seven times in the chest early Sunday morning at McCabe’s Bar in DeLand, Florida and declared dead from the injuries, the New York Post reports.

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Officers responded to the reports of gunfire at 1.30am on Sunday morning.

Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene, prompting an extensive investigation.

Williams is now in custody at the Volusia County Jail.

“There was chaos, you know, everybody was running,” Stephanie Kirby, the bartender working at McCabe’s that night, told Fox Orlando.

“When bullets are flying, and you don’t know where they’re gonna land, that’s pretty scary.”

Avantae Williams’ mugshot. Photo: Volusia County Division of Corrections

Williams in action for Miami. Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

It remains unclear what started the fight that quickly escalated into gunfire. Harris was talking with friends just before he was killed, according to the report.

Williams, who spent two seasons with Miami and one with the Maryland Terrapins, played the most as a freshman with the Hurricanes.

This is not the first arrest for Williams; he was also charged with multiple counts of aggravated battery in 2021 after he allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman.

He was previously a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school as the No. 45 player in the country for the class of 2020 and the country’s No. 2 safety.

Williams had 18 tackles and one interception for Miami during the 2021 season.

Williams played in just four games after transferring to Maryland and accumulated just three total tackles.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as ‘Bullets flying’: Football star arrested over murder in Florida bar