MIAMI (Court TV) — Former NFL star Antonio Brown is asking a judge to dismiss attempted murder charges filed against him in Florida, saying he was acting in self-defense.
FILE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown (81) walks on the field during an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Jan. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)
Brown was released from jail on $25,000 bail last month after pleading not guilty to the charges.
While prosecutors have accused him of attempted second-degree murder following a shooting incident after a celebrity boxing match in Miami, Brown’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, is telling a very different story about the incident, claiming the athlete was acting within his rights to protect himself when he grabbed his gun and opened fire.
The alleged incident played out on May 16, 2025, after the event hosted by internet personality and online streamer Adin Ross. In a filing, Brown says that after leaving the event, he was attacked by the alleged victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, who he describes as a convicted felon with “multiple fraud convictions and a violent history.”
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The filing, reviewed by Court TV, says Nantambu was waiting for him outside the event, to which he was not invited, “for an opportunity to confront Brown violently.” Brown allegedly suffered injuries to his eye, knee and hands after he was attacked by Nantambu before pulling out his gun. Brown was legally permitted to carry the weapon, which was lawfully concealed, according to his attorney.
While prosecutors say Brown fired at the alleged victim, Brown says he intentionally aimed away from Nantambu as a warning; he further says Nantambu then wrestled the gun away from him and ran off, stealing it. Brown stayed at the scene and complied with officers.
Brown’s filing also highlights Nantambu’s criminal history: Nantambu allegedly physically attacked Brown backstage at a rap concert in 2023, and in a 2022 incident, he was jailed in Dubai for 30 days for stealing the NFL star’s jewelry.
Nantambu previously faced charges after disrupting the Super Bowl LIX halftime show by running across the field waving a Sudanese flag with the message, “Sudan and Free Gaza.”
Brown, an All-Pro wide receiver, played for several teams in the NFL over his twelve-year career, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
