NBA prospect's brother killed in Houston
HOUSTON
Pittman's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed Pittman's
departure.
Texas spokesman Scott McConnell said Pittman's high school coach
and godfather, Bennett Hatten, told school officials that Darius
Johnson, 15, was shot during a confrontation in Katy and later died
at a hospital.
Harris County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Janie Wagner said
a deputy was sent to the home just before 10 p.m. Thursday. The
deputy found the victim "in the garage in his residence sitting in
a chair with a gunshot wound to his head."
Wagner said the case is being investigated as a homicide. She
had no other details and said the department wasn't identifying the
victim because he was a juvenile.
An investigator with the Harris County medical examiner said an
autopsy was planned Friday.
"Obviously the thoughts and prayers of all of us associated
with the University of Texas basketball program are with Dexter
Pittman and his family. We know that this is a very difficult time
for them," Longhorns coach Rick Barnes said.
------
Associated Press writers Andrew Seligman in Chicago and Michael
Graczyk in Houston contributed to this report.
