LA County College Football Player Dies From In-Game Collision

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A 20-year-old college football player from Lakewood died this week from a head injury suffered while playing for Alabama A&M during a game in October, school officials announced.

Medrick Burnett Jr., 20, was a linebacker in the Oct. 26 Magic City Classic against rival Alabama State University when he suffered a traumatic head injury during the game, TMZ reported.

Burnett Jr., who was playing his first season with Alabama A&M, died Wednesday evening, according to the coroner's department. For more than a month, he fought for his life in the ICU with several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain, according to his sister. The family opted for a craniotomy, to try to save his life, she wrote on a GoFundMe page fundraising for his medical care.

According to ESPN, Alabama A&M announced Burnett Jr.'s death prematurely Wednesday and quickly retracted the announcement.

“We express our immediate regret for disseminating false information. However, we hold complete joy in knowing that Medrick remains in stable condition.”

A statement on the gofundme.com page for Burnett said Wednesday: “Please pray he is having a tough time but we are holding on til the very end. God give us strength so we can keep the faith.”

However, within 24 hours, the school sent a second announcement confirming his death.

Alabama A&M'S athletic director Dr. Paul A. Bryant called Burnett a "remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him."

Burnett played in seven games and made five tackles, including three against Austin Peay.