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Bucs' Talib expected to surrender on Texas arrest warrant

Police in Garland, Texas issued a felony arrest warrant for Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib on Tuesday as the result of their investigation into a domestic incident in which gunshots were fired, The Tampa Tribune reported.

Talib is scheduled to turn himself in later this week on a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bail will be set at $25,000, police said.

"We are deeply troubled by the serious charges filed against Aqib Talib," Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said in a statement released by the team. "Due to current labor circumstances, we will withhold any further comment or action."

Talib's agent, Todd France, didn't immediately return a call to The Associated Press.

Talib's mother, Okolo Talib, also was involved, police said, and turned herself in Tuesday. When she was booked into jail, she also was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, based on a previous conviction, police said. Her bond was set at $30,000, and she remained in jail Tuesday afternoon.

The assault charges against the Talibs are classified as second-degree felonies and carry a punishment of five to 20 years in prison, according to police.

The warrant stems from a March 21 incident in which police were called to investigate a disturbance where people had been fighting and gunshots were heard.

Police say Aqib Talib physically assaulted and shot at Shannon Billings, whom The Tribune reports is the boyfriend of the player's sister. Talib's mother also is accused of firing shots at Billings, who wasn't injured.

Earlier in the day, Billings had been listed as a suspect in a disturbance and was charged with assault and interference with an emergency phone call from that incident.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Talib could face discipline under the league's personal-conduct policy, even though teams aren't allowed to contact players during the ongoing lockout.

"The conduct and drug policies are currently suspended," Aiello said in an email to The Tribune. "However, any violations of law that occur during the work stoppage will be reviewed for potential discipline."

This isn't the first brush with the law for Talib, a first-round draft pick by the Bucs in 2008.

Talib was charged with simple battery and resisting arrest in connection with an assault on a taxi driver in Tampa, Fla. in 2009. Talib was suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for the first game of the 2010 season as punishment for that incident, and the player settled out of court with the cab driver.

Talib's troubles date to 2008, when he was involved in a fight with fellow Bucs rookie Cory Boyd at the NFL Rookie Symposium. In May 2009, Talib wound up inadvertently hitting teammate Torrie Cox in the face with his helmet while fighting with Donald Penn during a minicamp workout.

Talib has started for the Bucs since 2009. He has recorded 15 interceptions and 112 tackles in 41 games -- 28 of them starts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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