Reading, Pennsylvania – A man has been apprehended by authorities in connection to the fatal shooting of former NFL player Antonio Dennard in October of 2022. Jose Pizzaro was captured by U.S. Marshals in Brooklyn, New York, after being wanted for over a year for the alleged murder in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
The arrest of Pizzaro was made possible by the joint efforts of U.S. Marshals from Eastern PA, Reading, and Allentown offices, along with NY/NJ RFTF investigators. The apprehension took place on the 700 block of Dekalb Ave in Brooklyn, as reported by U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia on social media.
The tragic incident unfolded when Muhlenberg Township Police received reports of a gunshot victim arriving at Reading Hospital following an altercation outside Legend’s Bar & Grill on 2545 North 5th Street Highway. The victim, identified as Antonio Dennard, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Dennard, a 32-year-old former NFL cornerback who had a brief career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, never played in a regular-season game but had stints with the Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, and New York Giants. He was fatally shot outside the bar, sparking a search for the suspect, Pizzaro, who has now been apprehended after evading authorities for an extended period.
The arrest of Pizzaro brings a sense of closure to the case and offers some relief to Dennard’s family and friends who have been mourning his untimely death. The motive behind the shooting and further details surrounding the incident are still under investigation by local authorities in Berks County. Additional updates are expected as the legal proceedings against Pizzaro unfold.