Now
79°
Wed
89°
Thu
91°
by Ashley Griffin
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A fight near Nashville’s Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge has led to felony charges against a Vanderbilt wide receiver, and the university now says he is no longer with its football program.
Kayleb Barnett faces charges of aggravated assault involving strangulation, identity theft and using false identification in connection with the Oct. 11 incident, according to arrest warrants obtained by FOX 17 News.
“We are aware of the situation. Kayleb Barnett violated team and university standards and is no longer with the program,” Vanderbilt Athletics said in a statement to FOX 17 News.
CRIME NEWS | Video, photos of deadly Nashville federal courthouse shooting released
Vanderbilt’s football biography identifies Barnett as a sophomore wide receiver.
An officer posted near Second Avenue South reported seeing what appeared to be a fight south of the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge. As the officer approached, he said, he saw Barnett holding another man in a chokehold.
The man then fell to the ground, motionless and bleeding, and appeared to be unconscious, according to the officer’s affidavit. He regained consciousness shortly after officers detained Barnett, the affidavit says.
A witness told police Barnett threw the first punch. Barnett gave officers a different account, saying the other man swung first, Barnett dodged the punch and then held him down to prevent another assault. Officers identified Barnett as the predominant aggressor, according to the affidavit.
After detaining Barnett, officers found two IDs bearing his name and photo but showing different birth dates, the warrants say. Police said one ID’s information came back to Barnett, while the other came back to someone else.
Barnett is charged with identity theft and using false identification, but the warrants do not say when or how he allegedly used either ID.
2026 Sinclair, Inc.
