The family of late Arizona Cardinals safety turned U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman issued a statement after his brother, Richard, was arrested for allegedly slamming his car into a neighborhood post office resulting in it setting on fire in San Jose, California, Sunday (July 20) morning.
Kevin Tillman, Pat and Richard’s brother, said the 44-year-old was “battling severe mental issues for years” in a statement to NBC Bay Area shared on behalf of the family.
“Our family is aware that my brother Richard has been arrested. First and foremost, we are relieved that no one was physically harmed,” the statement reads. “We have limited information at this time but we are in communication with local authorities and are providing as much background and context as we can.
“To be clear, it’s no secret that Richard has been battling severe mental health issues for many years. He has been livestreaming, what I’ll call, his altered self on social media for anyone to witness. Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult – or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be.
“We have nothing further to add at this time.”
Tillman was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of arson in relation to the crash and held on a $60,000 bond.
“Shortly after 3 a.m. the San Jose Fire and Police Departments responded to reports of a vehicle on fire in the box lobby area at the Almaden Valley Station Post Office. The fire was extinguished with no injuries,” the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said in a statement obtained by ABC News.
Tillman was reported to have live-streamed when he crashed his vehicle, according to federal investigators. Additionally, authorities confirmed that spray-painted words were found on the building, however, it’s unclear whether they were connected to the incident as of Monday (July 21) morning.
It also hasn’t been determined whether the driver was impaired at the time of the crash.
Pat Tillman abruptly retired from the NFL after four seasons to serve in the U.S. Army following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The former Arizona State standout served in Iraq and then Afghanistan before being killed by friendly fire in 2004, posthumously receiving the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his military service.
Pat Tillman’s legacy is honored through the Pat Tillman Foundation, a non-profit started by his widow, Marie, supporting the education and leadership development of veterans and military spouses.
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