[jmh80]

Edit - Sean died this morning. 24 years old.
Prayers to the Taylor family, his child, and everyone with the Redskins.
I've heard Santana is taking this one pretty hard.

RIP.


He's in some sort of a coma, fighting for his life, worried about brain damage - his football career is probably done.


Prayers, SeanTay.

ESPN - Redskins' Taylor critical after being shot at home - NFL

Redskins' Taylor out of surgery for gunshot wound to his leg
Associated Press

Updated: November 26, 2007, 3:42 PM ET

Sean Taylor Shot During Home Invasion
PALMETTO BAY, Fla. -- Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor was in critical condition Monday after surgery for a gunshot wound to his leg during what police are investigating as a possible armed robbery at his home.

The 24-year-old player was in the intensive care unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital after several hours of surgery, said family friend Richard Sharpstein, his former lawyer. Taylor lost a "significant" amount of blood because the bullet damaged his femoral artery, Sharpstein said.

Doctors are worried the blood loss might affect blood flow to the brain, said Sharpstein, who was at the hospital with Taylor's family and friends. Taylor has had several on- and off-the-field problems -- two years ago he was accused of brandishing a gun.

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. Taylor had missed the last two games because of a knee injury and was at home recuperating. Taylor was airlifted to the hospital.


Investigators were still interviewing the girlfriend and other relatives who were in the home to try to determine what happened, Perez said. No arrests have been made.

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

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, the lawyer said.

"It was clearly a burglary, an armed burglary," Sharpstein said, adding nothing appeared to have been stolen.

The shooting happened at a home Taylor bought two years ago in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay. The player is in his fourth season with the Redskins after playing at the University of Miami, where he was an All-American in 2003. Despite his injury, he is tied for the NFC lead with five interceptions.

In Ashburn, Va., Redskins owner Dan Snyder said he was headed to Miami on his private plane, joined by running back Clinton Portis, vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and trainer Bubba Tyer.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to Sean and his family. ... We appreciate very, very much the outcry of support," Snyder said.

Redskins safety Pierson Prioleau fought to keep his composure.

"This is not just a member of the Washington Redskins," said Prioleau, one of a few players made available to reporters. "But we're talking about a dad, a brother, a friend of ours, and that's where we're at with this right now."

Coach Joe Gibbs was joined by the team chaplain at the Redskins' usual Monday meeting. A small group of players held a separate prayer gathering.

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

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.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[warnerve]

it really sucks, he is a HUGE fan favorite amongst us skins fans. they said when he had his daughter his demeanor really changed for the better. i haven't even heard any speculation as to if he will play again- right now they aren't sure he will even live

they said there was a break in at his house last week too, and he was keeping a machete by his bed because of it since his probation does not allow him to have a gun. his girlfriend and baby daughter were in the room with him when it happened

the washington post website seems to be the place to go if you want more info on this

[shaddow]

Sean Taylor is my favorite NFL player. This is terrible news, and it's really tugging at my heart. The Miami Herald reported that someone had broken into his house 8 days before, but no one was home when it happened. Apparently whoever did it went into several rooms, and went through drawers and a safe, and then left one of Taylor's kitchen knives on his bed.

It sounds to me that someone was really out to get him. After seeing so much change in his character recently, and so much talent on the field, it's just a damn shame. The guy's been trying to better his life and be a positive influence, and though I'm not religious, his life is now in God's hands.

Such a sad day.

[shaddow]

From the Miami Herald:

Redskins' Sean Taylor shot in S. Dade
Posted on Mon, Nov. 26, 2007

By ERIKA BERAS, SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN AND OSCAR CORRAL

NFL star Sean Taylor rose from his bed early Monday after noises in his sprawling Old Cutler Road home startled him and his girlfriend. He grabbed a machete from underneath his bed and went to investigate.

He didn't get far. An armed intruder burst through the bedroom door and fired at least one shot. Taylor tumbled back into the bedroom, critically wounded in the groin, said lawyer Richard Sharpstein.

After undergoing surgery Monday, Taylor was fighting for his life, said Sharpstein, an attorney for the standout safety with the Washington Redskins and former Miami Hurricanes All-American. Sharpstein represented the controversial football player in a previous criminal case.

The alarm at the home had not been activated, a police official said, even though eight days earlier someone had broken into the house and rifled through Taylor's possessions, leaving a kitchen knife on a bed.

About 20 family members and friends gathered at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where Taylor was airlifted. They cried, made phone calls, talked to each other.

Taylor's mother, Donna Junor, said in a brief telephone interview that her son had squeezed a nurse's hand Monday evening, showing signs that he may be responding to treatment.

''I am happy, I am hopeful, but I really don't know what else to say,'' she said.

Sharpstein said Taylor, 24, emerged from surgery about 12:30 p.m. but had lost a lot of blood and remained unconscious, his brain at risk of injury from the blood loss. He was in intensive care.

The gunman was still on the loose.

According to police, Miami-Dade patrol officers received a call about 1:45 a.m. Monday that Taylor had been shot in the $900,000 home in Palmetto Bay.

Paramedics arrived and found Taylor with a gunshot wound to the groin. Among the those responding was George Mira, Jr., a linebacker who lettered at UM from 1984 to 1987 and now a fire batallion chief. Detective Juan Villalba, a Miami-Dade police spokesman, said police were interviewing relatives who were potential witnesses.

Sharpstein said the couple's baby was also in the bedroom and slept through the entire incident, including the two gunshots. The shooter fled immediately after firing.

''Nothing was stolen. They shot at him and fled,'' Sharpstein said.

According to police records, someone also broke into Taylor's house between 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 and midnight Sunday Nov. 18, by prying open a front window. No one was home at the time. The burglar entered several rooms in the house, rifled through drawers, and a safe in Taylor's bedroom. The police report says it was ''unknown'' whether anything was taken.

In that incident, someone left a kitchen knife on a bed in Taylor's house, according to the police report. Damage was also ``observed to the A/C vent in Taylor's bathroom.''

Retirees Pat and Jim Smith live in the house next to Taylor's. They said they heard voices outside about 2:30 a.m. Monday and went outside to check it out. Jim Smith talked to a woman with a baby in her arms who he believes is Taylor's nanny. She mentioned the previous break-in.

''I am going to make sure my gun is loaded,'' Jim Smith said. ``We never did have any problems here.''

The shooting happened at Taylor's four-bedroom, four-bath house, which he bought in 2005, according to the county's property appraiser's website. The one-story, pale yellow house is protected by a white wall with black gates, and a buzzer controls access.

Lt. Nancy Perez, a spokeswoman with the Miami-Dade Police Department, said police have been unable to talk to Taylor.

Taylor, a Gulliver Preparatory School graduate, is in his fourth season with the Redskins.

In 2004 he was the fifth pick overall by the Redskins as one of their starting safeties after a stellar career at the University of Miami. He signed a seven-year, $18 million contract. His junior year at UM he led the Big East conference and was second in the nation in interceptions with nine.

He was an All-American, Thorpe Award finalist and Big East Defensive Player of the Year during his UM career.

He suffered a sprained right knee on Nov. 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles, an injury that had sidelined him indefinitely. The Redskins played the Buccaneers in Tampa Sunday.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder running back Clinton Portis, vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and trainer Bubba Tyer were all flying on the owner's plane to Miami.

''Our hearts and prayers go out to Sean and his family,'' Snyder said. ''We appreciate very, very much the outcry of support.'' Redskins receiver Keenan McCardell told the Washington Post: ``Everybody around here is just stunned. We're all stunned. We're numb right now.''

UM also weighed in, saying ``this is a terrible thing to have happened to a great person, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and teammates.''

Taylor is no stranger to controversy.

He was arrested in June 2005 for waving a gun at a group of people he believed had stolen his all terrain vehicle. Felony charges were dropped, but he eventually pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery. Sharpstein said Taylor was actually the victim and that charges should never have been filed against him.

After the plea, Ryan Lee Hill, one of the men in front of whom Taylor allegedly waved a gun, sued Taylor, claiming Taylor hit him repeatedly in a fight and brandished a gun at him. Because of injuries he supposedly received during the fight, including bruises to his body, Hill lost wages and incurred medical expenses.

In the lawsuit, which according to court files is still active, Hill claims Taylor and some friends went looking for people who allegedly stole his all terrain vehicles. According to the suit, Taylor found Hill, pummeled him with his fists and called him a thief. Taylor then left, returned with more friends and pointed an assault rifle at Hill.

''Totally garbage and untrue,'' Sharpstein said of Hill's account in an interview Monday.

After the fight, Taylor, his friend, Michael McFarlane, and a man named Charles Caughman went to McFarlane's house in the West Perrine neighborhood where Taylor's ATVs were stolen from, according to court records of the incident. Soon afterward, a silver car pulled up to McFarlane's house and someone opened fire, peppering Taylor's GMC Yukon Denali with bullets. Police found 27 bullet casings outside, at least 15 shots hit Taylor's car. No one was hit, and the shooting remains unsolved.

McFarlane has since moved out of the small ranch home on Southwest 104th Avenue that was besieged by bullets in June 2005. The current renter on Monday showed a visitor bullet holes that remain over a front window.

''I hope whoever did that doesn't come back here looking for him,'' said the resident, who asked not to be identified because of fear of retribution from Taylor's enemies.

Hill still lives a few blocks down from McFarlane's old shot-up house. But Hill was not home on Monday afternoon.

Reached Monday on his cellphone in Baltimore, Caughman said he didn't want to talk about that day. He said he was friends with Taylor but hadn't talked to him recently. He was surprised to learn about Monday's shooting.

''I just saw it on SportsCenter,'' Caughman said. ``It's crazy.''

Taylor's father, Pedro Taylor, the police chief of Florida City, could not be reached for comment. But a woman who answered the phone in his office said he was at the hospital awaiting the result of his son's surgery.

''There were a number of people who were jealous of Sean's success,'' Sharpstein said.

Before he was drafted, he was rebuked by the NFL for leaving the league's mandatory rookie symposium early, and drew a $25,000 fine.

Taylor has made a living jarring receivers in the secondary for the Redskins and his jersey remains as popular as ever with Hurricanes fans.

Taylor's cousin, Florida State safety Anthony Leon, said Taylor was trying to shed some trouble-making friends he grew up with in Florida City. Leon, who said he spent his morning crying and praying from his dorm room in Tallahassee, said Taylor had ``started to calm down.''

''He's been trying to stay away from bad company -- especially for his daughter's sake,'' Leon said. ``Sean wasn't a bad guy at all. He's got his personality on the football field and off it. All he was trying to do was protect his family. And they shot him.''

Miami Herald staff writers Patricia Mazzei, Manny Navarro, Evan Benn and Susannah Nesmith and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/brea...ry/320910.html

[jmh80]

Bump.

[Outside Backer]

RIP

loss of life is very very sad

[Reaper329]

very sad RIP

[AM07]

The intruders were TARGETING Taylor. Eight days before yesterday, they left a knife on his bed, probably as a sign that they will be back?

Then they come in yesterday blasting, and don't steal anything? The phone lines were cut as well, maybe to prevent him calling the police. This was a deliberate attempt on his life. I hope they find the little ****ers that did this and prosecute them to the fullest extent. They just pissed off a WHOLE bunch of Skins fans.

[Reaper329]

I had heard about that, I hope it doesnt come out that he had ties to some lower quality people

[shaddow]

R.I.P. Sean.

[AM07]

Originally Posted by Reaper329

I had heard about that, I hope it doesnt come out that he had ties to some lower quality people

His past indicates that he did hang out with some shady people. Many people that come from the U are thugs, but they make some damn good football players out of them.

Nonetheless, this shouldn't have happened. If only he had a gun to protect himself instead of a machete.

[BDAWG]

Damn man. RIP Sean Taylor. What is this world coming to when such a great human being can be shot in cold blood. It's sickening. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends.

[UNCfan1]

Very very sad. RIP Sean Taylor. He was my fav defensive player since his great days at the U. What a terrible and tragic loss.