Yaqub Talib, the brother of retired NFL cornerback Aqib Talib, reportedly pleaded guilty to a murder charge on Thursday in connection to the shooting death of a youth football coach during a scrimmage last August.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Yaqub, 40, agreed to a guilty plea for fatally shooting Michael Hickmon, 43, in Lancaster, Texas following an argument on Aug. 13, 2022. Yaqub is currently facing a 37-year sentence, per spokeswoman Claire Crouch of the Dallas County district attorney’s office.
Yaqub, who was charged with murder in September, will be in court on Aug. 7 for victim-impact statements and formal sentencing, per DMN.
Thursday’s news adds another chapter to a tragic story that began nearly one year ago involving the Talibs, Hickmon and the surrounding community.
Eyewitness accounts and police records note the shooting occurred after a fight broke out between the coaching staffs of the Dragon Elite Academy, the team on which Hickmon’s son played, and North Dallas United Bobcats, the team the Talibs’ sons played for.
Video of the incident shows the altercation erupted after Aqib, 37, walked onto the field to argue about the officiating. During the fight, a gunman, later identified as Yaqub, fired several gunshots that mortally wounded Hickmon; Yaqub would turn himself in two days later.
While the Talib family awaits Yaqub’s sentence, both he and Aqib are also facing a lawsuit, filed in December by Hickmon’s family, stemming from the shooting, per DMN.
The suit names the Talib brothers and youth sports organization Big XII Sports League and Family Services as defendants, with the Hickmon family seeking damages in excess of $1 million. The complaint accuses Big XII of “failing to vet coaches and failing to provide a safe environment and adequate security,” per DMN, and alleges Aqib as the instigator of the brawl that led to the shooting. A jury trial is currently scheduled for Jan. 9, according to DMN.
