In Berks County, Pennsylvania, the trial of Jose Pizarro, charged with the fatal shooting of former NFL player Antonio Dennard, has reached its closing arguments. Pizarro testified on Tuesday (April 15) that he acted in self-defense when he shot Dennard outside a bar in October 2022. He claimed that Dennard became aggressive after Pizarro spoke to a woman who appeared to be crying. According to Pizarro, Dennard retrieved a gun from his car, prompting Pizarro to draw his own weapon and shoot Dennard before fleeing the scene.
Dennard, a 32-year-old former cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers, was shot in the parking lot of the Rodeway Inn and Legends Bar & Grill. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Reading Hospital's emergency room on October 16, 2022. Pizarro was apprehended in Brooklyn, New York, by the United States Marshal's fugitive task force and the New York City Police Department in March 2024.
The trial's outcome remains pending as the jury prepares to deliberate following the closing arguments. The case has drawn attention due to Dennard's history as a professional athlete and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.