Ausar Walcott, Cleveland Browns Rookie, Arrested For Attempted Murder Of Derrick Jones In Passaic, NJ

New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez isn’t the only NFL player to be arrested this week in connection with a murder investigation. Cleveland Browns rookie linebacker Ausar Walcott was arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted murder after he allegedly punched a man in the head outside of a Passaic, N.J., strip club.

Walcott was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault and third-degree endangering an injured victim, the Bergen Record reports. The 23-year-old former Hackensack (N.J.) High School football star signed with the Browns in May as an undrafted rookie free agent.

Police said Walcott punched Derrick Jones in the head around 3 a.m. Sunday outside of The Palace Gentlemen’s Club in Passaic. Jones, 24, who lives in New York City, was rushed to Harlem Hospital Center, where he remained in critical condition as of Tuesday.

Walcott voluntarily turned himself in to police on Tuesday and was being held at Passaic County Jail, with bail set at $500,000. The Browns organization said in a brief statement it was “aware of the situation.”

“This is a pending legal matter and we will not comment,” the statement said.

This isn’t the first time that Walcott has encountered legal trouble. In 2011, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker was suspended from the University of Virginia football team after he was arrested for his part in an altercation at James Madison University, the Bergen Record reports. The charges against Walcott were later dismissed.

Separately, police said Wednesday they have arrested the New England Patriots' Hernandez as part of their investigation into the murder of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player whose body was found near the NFL player's home on June 17. Massachusetts State Police said that the charges against Hernandez will be released when he's arraigned in Attleboro District Court.