MEMPHIS , Tennessee ( CNN ) -- Three men have been arrested and charged with murder in the shooting death last week of a University of Memphis football player , Memphis police announced Monday . Police investigating a car crash on September 30 found Taylor Bradford , 21 , fatally wounded near the campus residence hall area . He had apparently gotten into his car after being shot , and drove a short distance before crashing into a tree . Bradford -- a 5-foot-11 , 300-pound defensive lineman from Nashville -- was pronounced dead at Regional Medical Center . Memphis Police Department Director Larry Godwin said DeeShawn Tate , 21 , Victor Trezevant , 21 , and Courtney Washington , 22 , had been charged with murder in perpetration of attempted aggravated robbery . Homicide investigators developed the case against the three men with the help of a citizen 's tip and Crimestoppers , he said . Godwin said the investigation continues , and `` we do expect additional arrests in this case . '' `` It was an attempted robbery , aggravated robbery , '' he said . Bradford `` was targeted because of some information that was out there and the fact that they believed he had some cash , or he had something that they wanted . '' Godwin said none of the three arrested suspects were students at the university , but he would not rule out that other suspects could be students . Shelby County District Attorney General William L. Gibbons said the three suspects would make an initial court appearance as early as Tuesday . He said prosecutors were considering seeking the death penalty in the case , but no decision had been made . `` Whether or not it will be would be premature for me to say , '' Gibbons said . `` There are a lot of factors that go into it . We 'll make a determination at the appropriate time . '' Officials at the 21,000-student school said Bradford , a marketing major who lived on campus , was popular with the football team and on the campus as a whole . He had transferred from Samford University in Birmingham , Alabama , and was 36 credit hours short of graduation . E-mail to a friend .
University of Memphis athlete James Bradford , 21 , was shot at 30 . Three charged with murder in perpetration of attempted aggravated assault . After Bradford was shot , he got in his car , drove off and then crashed into a tree . The killing spurred school officials to temporarily lock down the campus .