Man charged with attempted murder over shooting of NFL player

A man has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting of New York Jets NFL player Kris Boyd.

The suspect was Bronx resident Frederick Green, 20, who was arrested on Monday and charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police told the BBC.

Boyd was shot outside a popular New York City restaurant at 02:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on 16 November, during what police described as a confrontation with a group of strangers.

The 29-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition after a bullet hit his lung and lodged in his pulmonary artery. He was later discharged.

ESPN has reported that he recently visited his teammates at a Jets practice facility.

Boyd was with two other Jets players and a third friend in Midtown Manhattan when they were taunted by a group of strangers outside a restaurant, according to the police account of events that was provided to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

That led to a physical confrontation, during which police allege Green shot Boyd twice in the abdomen.

Surveillance video from the area showed Green run away and get into a vehicle driven by another person, it is alleged.

Green was arrested on 8 December about 580km (360 miles) away in the city of Buffalo, where he was hiding at his girlfriend's apartment, law enforcement sources told CBS.

A statement from the US Marshals Service confirmed that "a person of interest" had been taken into custody.

When law enforcement surrounded the building, the suspect was seen "peeking out the apartment window looking for an escape avenue but retreated inside after seeing the team and a canine officer," the statement said.

The stand-off ended soon after, when the suspect left the apartment with his hands up.

The suspect had "significantly changed his physical appearance presumably to avoid detection", the US Marshals Service added.

Prior to joining the Jets earlier this year, Boyd played two seasons with the Houston Texans, following one season with the Arizona Cardinals and four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

The cornerback had been on injured reserve for the Jets after suffering a shoulder injury during team practice in August.