An Alabama college student has been shot and the Montgomery Police Department is looking into the circumstances of his death, Alabamas 13 reported on Thursday.
Ryan Brooks, 19, was killed on Wednesday off campus. He was a graduate of Hapersville's Coosa Valley Academy. Brooks also played football on the Faulkner University team. Students who are experiencing grief are encouraged to speak with counselors.
Police say that Brooks and some friends were trying to commit a robbery, and the homeowner shot him in self defense. Ronnier Williams, Marshall Wall, Tobias Russell and Alexander City were all charged with one count of murder relating to the shooting and are being held on a $75,000 bond, Alabama News reported.
Williams, Russell and Brooks were on the football team together, while Wall plays on the soccer team.
Because Brooks died as a result of the robbery and subsequent shooting, Williams, Wall and Russell became suspects and were finally charged.
His family emphasized that they weren't making excuses for Brooks, but said he didn't usually live like he did at the time of his death.
"Some of the things they're going to say are not going to be indicative of who Ryan was,'' said grandfather Barry Brooks. "I can't go into it right now, but there's going to be more to the story."
Rumors have started online that allege that Brooks' death stemmed from fraternity hazing.
Jean-Noel Thompson, Faulkner's vice president of student services, said this claim has not been backed up with evidence.
The university is Christian and holds 2,400 students on its Montgomery campus. About 700 of them live on campus full-time.