OT: Redskins Sean Taylor shot and in critical condition.

[Clasicrockldy]

I heard this on the news this morning...........

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-redskins-taylorshooting&prov=ap&type=lgns

Redskins safety Sean Taylor shot in Fla., in critical condition

By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer
November 26, 2007

AP - Nov 26, 12:43 pm EST
More Photos



PALMETTO BAY, Fla. (AP) -- Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor was shot in the leg at his home Monday and was bleeding heavily, and police said he was in critical condition. They are investigating a possible robbery.

Officers were sent to Taylor's home at about 1:45 a.m. after his girlfriend called 911 and said he was shot in his lower body, Lt. Nancy Perez said. He was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, she said, but did not disclose how many times he was shot.

Richard Sharpstein, an attorney who represented Taylor in a criminal case, said the player's father told him his son had been shot in the leg and there was much bleeding because the femoral artery was severed.

Investigators were still interviewing the girlfriend and other relatives who were in the home to try to determine what happened, Perez said.

"It could have been a possible burglary; it could have been a possible robbery," Perez said. "It has not been confirmed as yet."

Taylor has a home in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay that he bought two years ago. The 24-year-old player is in his fourth season with the Redskins after playing at the University of Miami, where he was an All-American in 2003. He leads the team with five interceptions but has missed the last two games because of a knee injury.

In Ashburn, Va., the Redskins canceled their scheduled open locker-room period for reporters and barred the media from talking to players. Coach Joe Gibbs was to address the team at its usual Monday meeting and was to hold his weekly news conference later in the day.

The Redskins (5-6) lost 19-13 at Tampa on Sunday. Taylor did not travel with the team to the game because of his knee injury.

Taylor sprained a ligament in his right knee in the second half of the Nov. 11 loss to Philadelphia. He was expected to miss at least two games, probably more.

Known as one of the NFL's hardest hitters, Taylor played in his first Pro Bowl last season, where he drew attention by leveling the other team's punter in what is usually a well-mannered exhibition game. Even though he has missed two games, his five interceptions remained tied for most in the NFC.

Taylor has been in trouble numerous times since he was drafted as the No. 5 overall pick in 2004. He has been fined at least seven times during his professional career for late hits and other infractions, including a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman during a playoff game in January 2006. He also was fined $25,000 for skipping a mandatory rookie symposium shortly after he was drafted.

Redskins coaches and players have defended Taylor, saying he was smart and misunderstood. Taylor has been slow to let anyone in his inner circle. He has rarely spoken to reporters, saying he does not trust them. Teammates said he became more mature over the last year after he became a father for the first time.

In 2005, Taylor was accused of brandishing a gun at a man and repeatedly hitting him during a fight that broke out after Taylor and some friends went looking for the people who had allegedly stolen his all-terrain vehicles.

Taylor reached a deal with prosecutors last year after they agreed to drop felony charges against him. He pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors in the assault case and was sentenced to 18 months probation. The pleas prompted another fine from the NFL but kept his football career intact.

He also was ordered to talk about the importance of education at 10 Miami schools and had to contribute $1,000 for scholarships to each of those schools.

The man Taylor allegedly hit, Ryan Hill, sued, seeking at least $15,000 in damages. Hill sustained bruises to his body, incurred medical expenses and lost wages because of the fight, the lawsuit said.

Associated Press writers Jessica Gresko in Miami and Joseph White in Ashburn, Va., contributed to this report.

Damn, this Monday is so bad..........

[Liam]

That's horrible. I don't care what team ya root for...this type of thing just sucks.

[Wally_Hatchet]

Just heard about this.

Hang in there ST, prayers coming your way.

[Rhiannon]

Do I dare even venture outside today? Too much bad news. So depressing.

[NealIsGod]

I'm not the least bit surprised by this. Taylor has always hung around a bad crowd.

[Red13JoePa]

I'm gonna hold off on saying "You can take player out of The U but you can't take The U out of the player" but this is smacking of former 'Canes and Iggles DE Jerome MacDougal getting capped in the middle of the night in Tampa.

[Saint John]

Give us Dubrow back and take this asshole.

[NealIsGod]

Give us Dubrow back and take this asshole.

That's not nice. But if you had said Delp, I would have agreed...

[Liam]

Give us Dubrow back and take this asshole.

That's not nice. But if you had said Delp, I would have agreed...

You 2 are both fucked up. I LOVE IT.

[NealIsGod]

It doesn't look good for Taylor. Please say a prayer.

Sean Taylor "Clinging To Life"
Richard Sharpstein, who has represented Sean Taylor in legal matters in the past and is a friend of the family, said moments ago that the player's life is hanging in the balance in the hospital. Sharpstein, speaking from the hospital, said Taylor is "nonresponsive and unconscious" and the doctors are "worried about a possible brain injury or death."

Sharpstein, who has been with Taylor's family at the hospital much of the day, said that there are major worries that Taylor may have lost oxygen to the brain, and that no other procedures are planned for right now. "They're waiting to see if he comes to," Sharpstein said. He was shot in the groin/thigh area near the femoral artery and lost copious amounts of blood. The intruders then retreated and Sean was airlifted to the trauma center and endured several hours of surgery, Sharpstein said.

Taylor is in intensive care, Sharpstein said, and his girlfriend and child were not injured in the attack. Sharpstein said Taylor was sleeping when he heard a noise in the living room. The intruder or intruders were at his bedroom and Taylor reached for a machete or other form of knife he keeps nearby in case of emergency, and two shots were fired, with one striking his leg.

"Right now he's clinging to life and we're all praying he makes it," Sharpstein said.

Sharpstein said there have been numerous break ins, or break in attempts, on Taylor's house in recent weeks.

[Clasicrockldy]

Damn Niggy. This is unpleasant news. I am not a fan of football, but I will keep him and his family in prayers.

[Greg]

I'm a huge Redskins fan and learned about this at lunchtime today. This is horrible news. Sean has an 18 month old baby that he loves very much.
Taylor is is probably the best player I've seen play for the Redskins' defense in quite some time. He's clinging onto life as we speak.

[Ms_M]

What a bizarre day this has been.... I hope this man's physical condition helps him. Definitely praying for him and his family.

[Greg]

The latest reports have indicated that Sean Taylor has been responsive. He has opened his eyes, squeezed the doctors' hands and has had facial expressions. This is very good news for Sean.

[Saint John]

I'm not buying this story one bit. First and foremost, I hope he makes it...seems like he will. However, who breaks into a house and IMMEDIATELY goes to the bedroom at 1:45 am when you KNOW the residents are sleeping in there? This was a hit or someone that had a vendetta. And what kind of fool keeps a machete at their bedside for protection in this day and age? Especially when your house was broken into on November 17th. What do you expect the intruder to carry...a fuckin' squirt gun? This dude has been in trouble with the NFL on and off the field and I'll bet my ass hairs this was not a random break-in.

[AR]

Unfortunately he passed away. Thoughts and prayers to his family.

[Saint John]

Unfortunately he passed away. Thoughts and prayers to his family.

Just saw that on the news. This was a hit...mark my words.

[NealIsGod]

Man, what a waste. Someone who knows Sean said that he had a lot of people who were jealous of him, former friends. I'll bet they find the killer pretty fast.

[Saint John]

Think about it this way. The guy was in the NFL. If you want to rob his house do it on a fucking SUNDAY!!!! Entering someone's house at 1:45 am all but assures they're gonna be there. This was a premeditated assault/murder. I suspect a jealous ex-boyfriend of his girlfriend...just a guess. Or he owed someone money.

[NealIsGod]

Think about it this way. The guy was in the NFL. If you want to rob his house do it on a fucking SUNDAY!!!! Entering someone's house at 1:45 am all but assures they're gonna be there. This was a premeditated assault/murder. I suspect a jealous ex-boyfriend of his girlfriend...just a guess. Or he owed someone money.

They were woken by loud noises, so the intruders did not try to sneak in and steal some shit. Last weekend someone broke in that house and went through some drawers and left a kitchen knife on the bed. That sounds like a threat to me. And still, there was no security system in the house. He knowingly put his family's life at risk. Unbelievable.

[Saint John]

Think about it this way. The guy was in the NFL. If you want to rob his house do it on a fucking SUNDAY!!!! Entering someone's house at 1:45 am all but assures they're gonna be there. This was a premeditated assault/murder. I suspect a jealous ex-boyfriend of his girlfriend...just a guess. Or he owed someone money.

They were woken by loud noises, so the intruders did not try to sneak in and steal some shit. Last weekend someone broke in that house and went through some drawers and left a kitchen knife on the bed. That sounds like a threat to me. And still, there was no security system in the house. He knowingly put his family's life at risk. Unbelievable.

Wow, I didn't know that part. To me, that was a message to quit fucking that girl. Sounds like a jealous ex or stalker. He could've also asked someone in Vick's posse for a few pit bulls. Someone knew there was no security system and that he wasn't packing. Hmmmmm.

[NealIsGod]

From USAToday:

Sharpstein said Taylor's girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor's 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured.

"It could have been a possible burglary; it could have been a possible robbery," Miami-Dade Police Lt. Nancy Perez said. "It has not been confirmed as yet."

The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor's home, according to police.

"They're really sifting through that incident and today's incident," Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, "to see if there's any correlation."

[marco17]

Taylor has had a questionable past, including a few run in's with the law, which leads me to agree with St John that the story probably isn't really what happened, or it was made to look like a robbery.

[ebake02]

I just read this morning that he died.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071127/ts_ ... ylor_dc_15

[Clasicrockldy]

I just heard the news of his passing when I woke up. No matter if he had trouble like SJ says, it is still a young life wasted.
Prayers going out to his family and friends.

[marco17]

Taylor has had a questionable past, including a few run in's with the law, which leads me to agree with St John that the story probably isn't really what happened, or it was made to look like a robbery.

[ebake02]

Taylor has had a questionable past, including a few run in's with the law, which leads me to agree with St John that the story probably isn't really what happened, or it was made to look like a robbery.

Do you really think he'd do something like that when his wife and kid were in the house too.

[NealIsGod]

Taylor has had a questionable past, including a few run in's with the law, which leads me to agree with St John that the story probably isn't really what happened, or it was made to look like a robbery.

Do you really think he'd do something like that when his wife and kid were in the house too.

Girlfriend, not wife.

[WickedGail]

To those of you not from the Washington DC area please shut up! We are in deep mourning here today for the death of what was a blossming young man. Yes, he had a bad past, but many of us have done things in our youth that if we could take it back we would. The birth of his daughter was a seminal moment for him. He changed became more mature and was truly growing into the roll of father. Tommy's family has season tickets for years and I had the opportunity to meet this young man on many occasions, you never got the feeling as you do from other players that hey I'm here being nice cause I have to, he really enjoyed meeting the fans. He also in August at training camp made it his business to seek me out and express his sorrow at the loss of Tommy. For that he will always be in my heart. I also have never heard anyone who met him off team time have a bad time with him. He also was one hell of a football player. i'm sure on his way to the Hall of Fame. My heat goes out to his family for this tragic loss and mostly for his child who will now have to grow up without her dad, which is the worst part of this for me. Sean I love you man and I'll see you on the other side.

I hope 2008 is better because this year has been a year of too much death and sorrow, but we the living shall carry on in honor of those who have gone before us.....

Peace and Prayers

Gail

[Clasicrockldy]

I hope that someone can clear this up for me. I thought I heard on the morning news that the phone line was cut at the house before the attack. Is this true? I thought I heard someone say this and that is why it took so long for help to arrive. I am wondering if anyone had a cell phone.