Demetrius Byrd's mother says he needs treatment, not jail
Former LSU and NFL receiver Demetrius Byrd, 40, was arrested in Miami Beach on an aggravated assault charge after police say he threatened a bus passenger with a blade. His mother, Sharon Byrd, says he needs mental health treatment—not jail—citing illness she links to a pre-draft car crash.
Key Takeaways
- Demetrius Byrd faces aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a Miami Beach bus incident.
- Police say he opened a multi-tool blade and asked a passenger who wanted to die.
- Sharon Byrd says her son needs mental health care, not incarceration.
- A judge set a $5,000 bond; an outstanding domestic violence warrant also requires a court appearance.
What happened on the Miami Beach bus?
According to CBS News Miami, Demetrius Byrd was arrested after an argument with another passenger on a Miami Beach bus.
An arrest report says the dispute escalated when Byrd allegedly removed a silver multi-tool from his pocket, opened a blade, and asked, "Who wants to die?" while walking toward the victim. The passenger told police he had tried to calm Byrd down first.
WPLG Local 10 reported the disruption occurred near Abbot Avenue and Island Creek Drive on a Miami-Dade Transit bus. The bus driver called police, leading to the arrest. Byrd appeared before a judge Tuesday on the charge.
Why does Demetrius Byrd's mother say he needs treatment?
Sharon Byrd told Local 10 her son does not need jail—he needs mental help. She blames a head injury from a car crash, suffered just before he was set to be drafted into the NFL, for triggering mental illness.
"Everybody is against him, everybody wants to hurt my son, in his mind," she said. She also said there is "nothing vicious about him," adding that anyone who knows him would say the same.
More stories like this appear in our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
What is Demetrius Byrd's football background?
Byrd starred at Miami Central Senior High School, where he led Miami-Dade County in receiving yards, then played at LSU. CBS Sports notes he was an impact player on the Tigers' 2007 BCS national championship team, including a game-winning 22-yard touchdown catch from Matt Flynn with one second left to beat Auburn. He finished his LSU career with 72 catches for 1,134 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Shortly before the 2009 NFL Draft, he was injured in a serious car accident. The San Diego Chargers still selected him in the seventh round. He spent his only pro season on the non-football injury list and was released in 2010.
What happens next in court for Demetrius Byrd?
A judge found probable cause and granted Byrd a $5,000 bond. He must also appear before a judge because of an outstanding warrant in a separate domestic violence case, according to CBS News Miami and CBS Sports.
Byrd remains accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His mother's public plea centers on treatment for mental illness rather than locking him up—an appeal that does not erase the pending charge.