Tompkins: He’s a really is a great kid

Tompkins insist that Browning is not a bad person, just someone that needs help.

Junie Browning’s trainer and mentor Shawn Tompkins recently spoke about the circumstances surrounding Browning’s attempted suicide and subsequent arrest that occurred over the past 24 hours.

He insists that people not judge Browning as a person who meant to do harm to others, but rather as a person needing help and support.

“The pills he tried to overdose with were given to him by his therapist, and he was seeking out help,” Tompkins said. ”Yesterday (Tuesday) was a bad day for him. He would have rathered left us all and deal with the demons.”

On Tuesday, Tompkins received a text message from an ex-girlfriend of Browning asking if Tompkins could check up on Browning. Tompkins found Browning attempting to kill himself by overdosing on Browning’s anti-anxiety pills, Klonopin, and took him to St. Rose Dominican Hospital to be admitted.

Once there, the drugs started to take affect and Browning became aggressive, and, according to a police report, said to nurses, “Do you know who I am? I’ll rape and kill your family.”

“He was very aggressive and didn’t want to be there,” Tompkins said. “That wasn’t Junie saying that. … The drugs are bigger than the people

“I think of him as a son, and have taken him under my wing. He’s a kid with a lot of problems, and suffers from severe depression. … Everything in his life could be going great, but he’s still depressed and it got the best of him.”

Browning is in transit from the Henderson Detention Center, where he will be put into Tompkin’s custody for the the upcoming days.

Browning’s contract with the UFC was terminated, and Tompkins understands the reason why, adding that the last thing him and Browning will worry about is his fighting career.

“That’s the last thing that’s important,” Tompkins said. “As his coach and friend, I’m not going to turn my back on him. … If he decides to continue fighting, I’ll still be his coach and if he doesn’t, I’ll always be his friend. … He didn’t say yesterday morning that he was going to assault some people. He really took a bunch of pills that his plan that was going to kill himself.”

Browning was well-known for his stint on “The Ultimate Fighter,” where he was known for his aggressive behavior. Following the show, Tompkins was contacted by Browning’s management, and asked if Tompkins would be willing to coach Browning.

Tompkins made a request that Browning live with him and his wife, and keep clean and positive. For the most part, Tompkins said Browning was nothing but respectful.

“He really is a great kid. I wouldn’t want somebody who was a drug abuser and an insane person living with me and my family,” Tompkins said. “This is something that is a deep rooted issue, and it caught up to him.”