Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze offered a brief update on the status of running back Brian Battie during his appearance at the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida, on Tuesday.

“He’s getting better,” Freeze told reporters. “Honor the family, I don’t want to go into too many things. But they appreciate all the prayers, for sure. It’s been a difficult time for the whole family, but he seems to be getting better each day.”

Freeze added that Battie remains in the hospital.

Battie was one of five victims of a shooting that took place near the Tallywood Centre Plaza in Sarasota, Florida, in the early hours of May 18.

Battie’s older brother, Tommie Battie IV, 24, was also among the victims and was killed in the shooting.

On May 22, four days after the shooting, Sarasota County deputies arrested Darryl Brookins, 28, of Sarasota after he was the subject of several Crimestoppers tips that identified him as the shooter. Brookins has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and as a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to his probable cause affidavit, Brookins has four previous felony convictions, of which all were ruled guilty.

In Brookins’ first court appearance on Thursday, his attorney, Jacob Grollman, argued that Brookins was acting in self-defense.

“This was a mistake,” Grollman said. “Had Mr. Brookins been given a chance to sit down with them, he could’ve simply explained he was acting in self-defense when he was approached and shot at by multiple armed individuals, including Tommie and Brian Battie.”

Video footage obtained by surrounding businesses show Brookins leaning against the window of a nearby business, when the Battie brothers approach him, at which point Brookins “immediately drew a firearm and began shooting at both,” the affidavit states.

The affidavit continues to claim the video footage shows the Battie brothers returning gunfire before both falling to the ground.

“The parents of the victim are living a waking nightmare. They are grieving for one and praying for another,” prosecutor Dale Race said during Thursday’s court appearance.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched in support of the Battie family. Initially launched on May 19 with a goal of $100,000, the fundraiser has since eclipsed the goal and has raised more than $104,000 as of Tuesday night.