The man accused of shooting New York Jets special teams player Kris Boyd is now behind bars, facing multiple charges including attempted murder.
Frederick Green, 20, of the Bronx, was arraigned Tuesday after being captured near Buffalo following what authorities described as an elaborate attempt to evade police. He’s being held without bail after prosecutors convinced the judge he posed a significant flight risk.
Boyd, 29, was shot in the abdomen during a late-night confrontation outside Sei Less – a popular Manhattan restaurant frequented by athletes and celebrities – around 2 a.m. on November 16. The bullet lodged in his lung, leaving him initially in critical but stable condition.
The five-year NFL veteran wasn’t alone when the shooting occurred. Teammates Jamien Sherwood and Irvin Charles were with Boyd when the dispute erupted outside the West 38th Street establishment.
Boyd’s recovery has progressed faster than expected.
Just last Wednesday, he surprised his Jets teammates with an emotional visit to the facility. Despite needing a walker for support, Boyd’s presence provided a major boost to the locker room. In a touching moment that coaches later described as “powerful,” he even broke down the special teams meeting – a reminder of the leadership role he’d carved out before his injury.
Investigators believe Green went to extraordinary lengths to avoid capture. According to prosecutors, he dramatically altered his appearance by cutting off “an extensive amount” of his hair after the shooting. He also changed phones and deactivated social media accounts in what authorities characterized as deliberate attempts to evade law enforcement.
Detectives identified Green through a combination of witness information and surveillance footage. Prosecutors noted he was “unmasked before, during, and after the shooting,” which provided crucial evidence linking him to the crime.
The manhunt ended Monday morning in Amherst, New York, near the University of Buffalo North Campus. Authorities tracked a grey Mercedes registered to Green’s girlfriend after receiving information he was staying with a friend in the area.
When U.S. Marshals surrounded the second-floor apartment, Green briefly considered escaping – peeking out a window to scout possible routes – but surrendered with his hands up after seeing officers and a K-9 unit positioned outside. The gun used in the shooting hasn’t been recovered.
Boyd signed a one-year, $1.6 million contract with the Jets last March after stints with the Vikings, Cardinals and Texans. His Jets career was derailed before it started when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during training camp.
The shooting represents another setback for Boyd, who recently shared on social media that he’d returned to the hospital “due to my health issues” – suggesting his recovery hasn’t been without complications.