Omaha, NE - The shooting near 70th and Military happened around 11:15 Tuesday morning.  Late in the afternoon, we first heard the rumors that Thunder had been shot and killed.  Could it be?  The first call to Thunder was made by an Action 3 News producer.  Collins told the producer, "I had nothing to do with the shooting." 

I called Collins at 4:41 p.m.   I asked him if I could interview him at his home.  He said no.  Then I persuaded him to meet me at another location.  My first question was "How was your day?"  Collins replied, "My phone has been ringing off the hook.  It's just crazy all kinds of rumors.  Now I'm here to set the record straight.  I'm not dead.  I'm alive." 

When I was talking to him, Thunder seemed amused by the rumors he was dead.  He was very interested in letting people know that he was alive.  Collins said he was getting calls from Husker fans, friends and media from Omaha, Lincoln and his hometown of California. "They said, 'Thunder!  Okay, you alive! Well, guess what?  They think that you are dead down in Lincoln.  They think that you got shot and killed.'   I'm like, 'That's crazy!'  When I heard it from the person I didn't believe it.  Then they kept on coming and coming, but someone told me that somebody on the radio, I don't know what station, is just going wild," said Collins.  

During the interview Thunder said people thought they saw his S-U-V at the crime scene.  He didn't deny he was there and added that he was robbed.   "I just know the people that stay on that street and earlier I had come through there," says Collins. 

We engaged in small talk about what he is doing and his plans for the future.  He said he has a business called Oh Boy Productions.  He tries to get different comedy acts to come to Omaha.  He also told me he has been staying in shape and wants to play football in the Canadian Football League.  He never seemed nervous or acted like he was involved in a shooting.

Reported by Devon Patton, devon@action3news.com