Reed's Brother Missing After Jump

Updated: January 8, 2011, 2:34 PM ET

Ed Reed's brother missing after jump

ESPN.com news services

The 29-year-old brother of Ravens safety Ed Reed is missing after jumping into the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

Officers from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office had been pursuing Brian Reed in St. Rose, La., on Friday, WWLTV.com in New Orleans reported. The man was seen jumping into the river at about 10 a.m.

Deputies say they saw Brian Reed jump into the river, go underwater and disappear, the website reported.

"The suspect jumped into the river, went about 15 feet according to the deputy," Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange, a spokesman for the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office, told WWLTV.com. "At some particular point they said he did witness hands and head come up and go under the water and never resurface again."

Authorities called off the search Saturday.

Ed Reed is traveling with the Ravens to Kansas City for their wild-card playoff game, and told ESPN's Rachel Nichols he plans to be on the field Sunday against the Chiefs.

Reed told Nichols: "My brother loved football. He would want me to play."

Brian Reed had been involved in a chase with police, WWLTV.com reported. Brian Reed's car matched the description of a vehicle that almost ran another driver off the road.


Karen Reed, mother of Ed and Brian Reed, told reporters that Brian Reed has had drug and alcohol problems in the past.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke briefly about Reed during a Friday night teleconference that had been scheduled to discuss the hiring of his brother Jim as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, the Baltimore Sun reported.

"We've been in contact as an organization," John Harbaugh told the Sun. "All I want to say is, our thoughts and prayers are with the Reed family at this difficult time. We're just praying for them. I love Ed Reed, I know he's fighting something now and hopefully it'll turn out OK."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.