**Alabama A&M Football Player Medrick Burnett Jr. Dies Following Game Injury**

Medrick Burnett Jr., a linebacker for Alabama A&M, has tragically passed away after enduring a head injury during an October football game against Alabama State. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office in Alabama confirmed that Burnett, a redshirt freshman, died at 5:43 p.m. local time on Wednesday. He had been receiving treatment at UAB Hospital since the incident on October 26.

Burnett, originally from Lakewood, California, began his collegiate football journey at Grambling State University in Louisiana before transferring to Alabama A&M. According to the school's athletics website, he participated in seven games and recorded five tackles, including three in a game against Austin Peay.

Alabama A&M initially announced Burnett's death on Tuesday evening but was forced to retract the statement after discovering he was still alive. The school's athletic department revealed that they had acted on information from an immediate family member and released the erroneous announcement. Upon clarifying with a hospital representative, they found out that Burnett was still in stable condition at the time.

In a statement addressing the premature announcement, Alabama A&M expressed deep regret for sharing incorrect information but also relief that Burnett was alive at the time. Despite the mix-up, many rallied to support Burnett through a GoFundMe campaign, which had raised over $48,000 by Friday.