Two Texas A&M University-Commerce students are hospitalized in Florida following an incident in which both students were shot following a robbery, according to a statement released by the university’s Department of Athletics.
The players were identified on Twitter by former head football coach Colby Carthel as Jay Bias and Xavier Morris. Moth Bias and Morris are linebackers on the football team.
Late Saturday night, Lion Athletics released this statement:
On Saturday afternoon, Texas A&M-Commerce Athletics learned that two of its football student-athletes were robbed and shot at gunpoint in the Miami (Fla.) area while on Spring vacation. Both student-athletes are currently being treated at a Miami area hospital.
Head Football Coach David Bailiff and Director of Athletics Tim McMurray are en route to Florida to be with the students and their families. The University and Intercollegiate Athletics extend our thoughts and prayers to both young men and their families.
This is the extent of the information available at this time. Texas A&M-Commerce will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Carthel identified the players on Twitter on Sunday morning.
The university’s student newspaper, The East Texan, reported on Sunday that Bias and Morris are in stable condition at a Miami-area hospital. Bias had required a breathing tube but is now breathing independently, The East Texan said. Morris was needing an unspecified surgical procedure, the East Texan said. No further details were provided.
On Monday, Lion Athletics released this statement from the Bias and Morris families:
Our families are so grateful for the outpouring of support and prayers that continue for Jay and Xavier. As they continue their remarkable progress and recovery from this unthinkable act of violence, we ask everyone to please respect our families and our focus on their support and recovery, as they are both clinically stable.
We will not be making further comments on this matter so we can focus on the well-being of our sons and their return to Texas.
We appreciate the support and guidance from everyone who is close to our sons, especially Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the administration and coaches from Texas A&M-Commerce.
Concurrently, Lion Athletics also released this statement Texas A&M University-Commerce:
As an institution, we continue to focus on supporting the Bias and Morris families and all those associated with this horrific incident. In response to numerous inquiries of how to best help the families, our Athletics program has worked with the Lone Star Conference and the NCAA to create a Go Fund Me page to assist the family with medical and recovery expenses associated with this event.
To assist, please click HERE.
