Local
Vanderbilt receiver faces three charges after downtown Nashville fight
Kayleb Barnett, 20, was arrested after a Sunday altercation near the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, police say. He is charged with aggravated assault, identity theft and use of a false ID; court records list a $5,000 bond.
Vanderbilt University wide receiver Kayleb Barnett was arrested Sunday, Oct. 11, after a downtown Nashville fight in which police say a person was found unconscious and bleeding.
A Metro Nashville police officer near Barstool on Second Avenue South reported seeing Barnett, 20, hold the person in a chokehold south of the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. According to the arrest report, officers arriving at the scene saw the person fall motionless, with blood nearby. The person regained consciousness shortly afterward, police said.
A witness who was driving the other person and their group told investigators Barnett threw the first punch, according to police. Barnett gave a different account, saying the other person swung first and that he held them down to stop further blows, the report says.
Police identified Barnett as the predominant aggressor and took him into custody without incident. Officers said they found two identification cards bearing his name and photo but listing different birth dates; one appeared to show he was under 21, while the other was reportedly linked to someone else.
Barnett was charged with aggravated assault, identity theft and using a false ID. Court records show he was held on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 13. The altercation occurred the day after Vanderbilt lost 52-17 to the University of Mississippi.
Vanderbilt had not issued a public comment as of Monday, Oct. 12. Barnett, a sophomore from Tulsa, appeared in 12 games as a freshman, according to the university’s football roster. The charges are allegations, and the case will be resolved through the court process.