Lawyer says an arrest imminent in death of UConn player

Attorney Deron Freeman declined to identify his client, but said the man and several others fought “with about six’’ UConn football players early Sunday. Freeman said his client did not stab Jasper Howard, but was present when Howard was mortally wounded.

Freeman said police searched his client’s home in Bloomfield and removed some items. Freeman said police told him that his client and others would be arrested.

Police “have indicated to me that they expect to get a warrant for his arrest,’’ he said. “I’m not sure if I would say that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I could say that he was not involved in the actual stabbing of Mr. Howard.’’

It would be the second arrest connected to the stabbing, which occurred hours after Howard starred in UConn’s homecoming victory over Louisville.

Johnny Hood, 21, of Hartford, was arraigned yesterday on charges of interfering with an officer and breach of peace, but he has not been charged in Howard’s death.

Authorities said Hood gave a false name when he was questioned. His bond initially was set at $100,000, but that was reduced yesterday to $10,000.

Hood’s lawyer, Justin Freeman, said at the arraignment that his client is a full-time dental assistant and a part-time student at Capitol Community College, who was “at the wrong place at the wrong time,’’ and did not know a homicide had occurred.

Deron Freeman, who is Justin Freeman’s brother, declined to say whether his client knows Hood, but he said there were at least a half-dozen UConn football players with Howard at the time of the stabbing.

Hood was pointed out to police at the scene by another UConn player, Brian Parker of Sarasota, Fla., who also was stabbed but sustained minor injuries. The wide receiver, who is academically ineligible to play this season, was treated and released from a local hospital.

Coach Randy Edsall said two other players tried in vain to save Howard’s life.

“One had Jasper in his arms and the other was pressuring where the wound went in and had blood on his hands,’’ Edsall said. “And those two young men are pretty deeply affected right now.’’

Sophomore receiver Kashif Moore said he was the player who held Howard until help arrived. He said he did not think his friend was going to die.

“He was like in and out [of consciousness],’’ Moore said. “I didn’t have time to be scared.’’

The state’s medical examiner’s office said yesterday that Howard died from a single stab wound to the abdomen. Howard, a junior and starting cornerback, came to the school to get away from the violence on the streets of his hometown of Miami. He was the first in his family to go to college.

UConn basketball player Kalana Greene said last night that Howard was a good person who wanted to help lift his family out of poverty and away from crime.

“He’s from Little Haiti in Miami, and he talked about doing everything for his mom and his two little sisters, doing something to make it out,’’ Greene said. “He was talking about how, ‘I’ve got to make it out to help my family out. I don’t want my family to live the life that I lived. I don’t want my kids to live the life that I lived. I want to make it good for them.’ ’’

Center Tina Charles said Howard - nicknamed Jazz - loved to play pickup basketball with the UConn women’s team.

“He always made the games fun,’’ she said. “That smile would get probably any girl, that smile that he had.’’

Howard’s death was especially tragic, because he was about to become a father, Edsall said. Police declined to provide additional information about the expectant mother, whom Edsall identified as Howard’s girlfriend.

Police interviewed dozens of witnesses but had made no other arrests late last night.

“We’re pursuing active investigative leads,’’ UConn police Major Ron Blicher said.

Blicher said Howard was mortally wounded during a fight between two groups. The fight broke out just after a fire alarm went off in a student center, forcing about 300 people to evacuate from a party and dance sponsored by the school’s West Indian Awareness Organization.

Students gathered for two vigils last night. Teammates and friends placed candles and flowers at the spot where Howard was stabbed, along with a poster that included the words “Live 365’’ next to pictures of Howard playing football and having fun.

Outside the team’s football complex, dozens of athletes and other students joined hands as punter Desi Cullen, a team captain led them in prayer.

“Value the breath you breathe,’’ he told the crowd. “Value every day you wake up.’’