Yaqub Talib turns himself in after fatal shooting of youth football coach Mike Hickmon
LANCASTER, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Yaqub Talib, 39, the man suspected of shooting and killing youth football league coach Mike Hickmon on Aug. 13, is in custody.
Talib, who's related to former NFL player Aquib Talib, turned himself in to law enforcement on Aug. 15. He was wanted on a murder charge.
Hickmon was fatally shot at Lancaster Community Park during a youth football game. Police said the shooting happened in front of numerous children.
"They took a great, a great person who wanted to help the community and wanted to better us as people," friend and fellow coach Heith Mayes said. "Always happy, upbeat, good father, good husband, always stood up for what's right. It's just very tragic."
Cell phone video shot by someone who witnessed the violence, surfaced on social media showing a fight and then you hear gunshots go off.
"A shooting, yes that was too extreme," Mayes said. "I wasn't expecting that."
Investigators spoke with several witnesses who stated there was a disagreement between the opposing coaching staff of two youth football teams over calls made by the officiating crew. The altercation turned physical leading to Talib allgedly pulling out a firearm and shooting Hickmon multiple times. Police said Talib fled the scene in an unidentified vehicle, taking the firearm with him.
By all accounts, Hickmon was a beloved Little League coach and pillar of the community.
His family sent CBS 11 the following statement:
We would like to thank everyone for the onslaught of loved we've received. Mike was an amazing husband, son, father, grandfather, brother, friend and coach.
Our family is grieving. Right now we don't see an end to our grief. But what I know for sure is...we will find a way to move forward. We don't have a choice. We miss him immensely. We always will. We will love him forever.
Hickmon was transported to Methodist Central Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. He was 43-years-old.
According to court records, Talib has been arrested in the past on several charges from assault with a deadly weapon to child criminal negligence. In 2017, Talib was arrested in Dallas County for allegedly knocking out a pregnant RaceTrac employee after the two got into an argument over cigars. Talib was booked for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and drug charges in 2021.
On Aug. 15, Talib was charged with murder with a $1 million bond and charged with violating probation - assault causing bodily injury.
Police said the investigation is ongoing as they're still trying to piece together the timeline leading up to the shooting. The Lancaster Police Department is asking anyone with any information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-877-373-8477.
