Staff writer Ben McKee and managing editor Nathanael Rutherford both contributed to this report
Tennessee football player Brandon Davis suffered a gunshot wound in his leg over the weekend according to a report from Blake Toppmeyer of the Knoxville News Sentinel. The incident is being investigated by Knoxville police.
In an incident report obtained by Knox News, an officer was flagged down at 12:32 a.m. Saturday outside Uptown Bar & Grill on Cumberland Avenue about an individual suffering from a gunshot wound. Davis appeared to have a small-caliber gunshot wound in his upper left leg and was being assisted by several individuals.
Davis was transported to UT Medical Center and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“We are thankful that Brandon’s injuries were minor, and he is expected to make a full recovery,” Tennessee athletics told Knox News in a statement. “We are gathering information as it becomes available.”
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native told police that he was inside Uptown Bar & Grill when he heard a gunshot and felt pain in his leg and that he “had no idea who shot him or why.” Rising junior defensive back Trevon Flowers, who was with Davis, told the officer he was inside the bar with Davis when the shooting occurred but that he also didn’t know who shot Davis.
Officers stated in the police report that they searched the bar and did not find any shell casings or blood. They were also unable to locate anyone inside the bar that heard any gunshots or who saw Davis and Flowers in the bar before the shooting. An officer overheard several people say that Davis shot himself in the leg.
Managing editor Nathanael Rutherford spoke with Davis’ father about the incident, and he denies that his son shot himself.
“Brandon has never had any interest in guns,” Davis’ father said. “Growing up, he’s never touched one, never played with toy guns, nothing.
“There’s no way in hell he shot himself.”
Davis’ father claims that Davis told him that while he was at Uptown Bar & Grill, he heard a loud pop that he thought “was like a balloon popping or a speaker popping.” He felt a pinch in his leg, and when he went outside with his girlfriend, he discovered the gunshot wound. He called police after that.
“Why would he call the police if he shot himself?” Davis’ father said. “Guys just go straight to the hospital in cases like that.
“I’m just pissed off because my son wouldn’t do something like that, and I don’t want him to be branded as someone who loves guns and has a problem with them.”
Davis is a former three-star recruit who starred at John Curtis High School in New Orleans. He appeared in one game last season and is a rising redshirt sophomore.
Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt will address the media at approximately 6:20 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon following Tennessee’s first spring practice of 2020.
