MIAMI FOOTBALL STAR DIES AFTER SHOOTING..
Sean Taylor, Redskins Star, Dies After Shooting
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
By KIRK SEMPLE
Published: November 27, 2007
MIAMI, Nov. 27 - Sean Taylor, a Pro Bowl safety with the Washington Redskins who was shot early Monday by an intruder at his home in an affluent suburb south of Miami, died in a hospital early today from his injuries, one of his lawyers said.
The lawyer, Richard Sharpstein, who has represented the 24-year-old Taylor, said in an interview by telephone that he received the news this morning from Taylor's father.
"His father called me at 5:15 a.m. this morning and said Sean was with God," Sharpstein said. "He was crying and overwrought with grief." Taylor was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m., the authorities said.
Miami-Dade police officials said today that they were treating the shooting as a homicide, and that their investigation was continuing. But they offered no information about its progress or possible suspects. Sharpstein, however, speculated that it was likely that the event was connected to a mysterious break-in at Taylor's house nine days earlier.
The shooting Monday was reported to the police at 1:46 a.m. by Taylor's girlfriend, who was in the house with Taylor in Palmetto Bay, an affluent suburb south of Miami. Taylor, bleeding profusely, was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he had surgery but remained in a critical condition throughout Monday.
He was unconscious for most of the day and although at one point he showed some signs of responding to a request to squeeze an attendant's hand he never fully awakened. "Everybody was sort of brightened by the response but he never showed any kind of real response," Sharpstein said.
"It's just a sad senseless useless tragedy, an example of the incessant violence in this town and every other town in America," Sharpstein said.
Taylor, his girlfriend and their 18-month-old daughter were in the master bedroom Monday morning when they heard a noise in the living room, Sharpstein said. Taylor grabbed a weapon from underneath his bed - which Sharpstein described as "a machete or something of that sort" - and was heading toward the bedroom door when someone burst through and opened fire with a pistol.
One bullet hit Taylor in the thigh and severed his femoral artery, and another hit a wall, Sharpstein said. The baby, who was in a crib, and Taylor's girlfriend, who was hiding under the bedsheets, were unhurt, he said. It was unclear whether there was more than one intruder.
Citing a request by Taylor's father, hospital officials and the police did not immediately release information about the nature of Taylor's injury or his condition.
But on Monday Sharpstein said in a telephone interview from the hospital that Taylor "bled out profusely" and remained unconscious for most of the day. Sharpstein, who said he was asked to speak to the news media by the family, said that doctors "were worried about loss of oxygen to the brain."
There seemed to be some hope Monday night, however, when Taylor responded to a doctor's request to squeeze his hand and show facial expressions, said Vinny Cerrato, vice president for football operations of the Redskins.
Taylor, who is in his fourth season as a free safety for the Redskins, was selected fifth over all in the 2004 National Football League draft after playing for the University of Miami. The Redskins signed him to a seven-year, $18 million contract, and he was widely considered to be one of the toughest and best young safeties in the league.
His fierce style of play earned him the nickname Tha Hitman. He was selected for the Pro Bowl last season and surprised viewers and players during that usually well-mannered contest by leveling a punter.
Although he had not played since spraining his knee during a Nov. 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Taylor led the Redskins this season with five interceptions.
Because of his injury, Taylor did not travel with the team to its game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, said William Norman, the Redskins' director of public relations.
In Ashburn, Va., where the Redskins' headquarters are located, several players were permitted to speak to reporters.
"This is not just a member of the Washington Redskins, but we're talking about a dad, a brother, a friend of ours, and that's where we're at with this right now," safety Pierson Prioleau said.
A contingent of players and officials from the Redskins organization, including the team owner Daniel Snyder, were scheduled to fly to Miami on Monday afternoon to join Taylor's family and friends who were keeping vigil at the hospital, Sharpstein said.
His father, Pedro W. Taylor, is the chief of the Florida City Police Department, a municipality in southern Miami-Dade County about 15 miles southwest of Taylor's home.
Taylor grew up in the Miami area and continued to live primarily in a sprawling, one-story house here in Palmetto Bay, a small, wealthy municipality of large houses and neatly tended lawns south of Miami. Taylor's corn-yellow house sits behind a six-foot white wall.
The incident was apparently the second time in nine days that someone broke into Taylor's house.
According to a Miami-Dade Police report, an intruder broke through a front window Nov. 17, entered several rooms, rifled through drawers and a safe, and left a kitchen knife on a bed. No one else was in the house at the time, Taylor told the police.
Investigators are apparently investigating whether there is any relation between these break-ins and a dispute two years ago between Taylor and some men in a depressed neighborhood near his home, Sharpstein said.
In June 2005, Taylor was arrested and charged with felony assault and battery after the authorities said he pointed a gun at three men outside a house in West Perrine and accused them of stealing two all-terrain vehicles from him.
Witnesses told the police that Taylor, accompanied by several people, assaulted one of the men and made death threats before driving off. Minutes later, a group of men drove by Taylor's parked S.U.V. and sprayed it with bullets from an AK-47 and a pistol. Taylor's vehicle was empty at the time, and the gunmen were never identified or arrested.
"I wouldn't be surprised if some of these people didn't have some relations to it," said Sharpstein, who represented Taylor in the case. "They were bad people. They were really bad people.
"But he had no fear," he added, speaking of Taylor.
Prosecutors negotiated a plea deal with Taylor and agreed to drop the felony charges. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation and pledged to donate time and money to various charities and schools in southern Florida.
Anahad O'Connor and Graham Bowley contributed reporting from New York. Terry Aguayo contributed reporting from Miami.
Next Article in Sports (1 of 23) ?
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
By KIRK SEMPLE
Published: November 27, 2007
MIAMI, Nov. 27 - Sean Taylor, a Pro Bowl safety with the Washington Redskins who was shot early Monday by an intruder at his home in an affluent suburb south of Miami, died in a hospital early today from his injuries, one of his lawyers said.
The lawyer, Richard Sharpstein, who has represented the 24-year-old Taylor, said in an interview by telephone that he received the news this morning from Taylor's father.
"His father called me at 5:15 a.m. this morning and said Sean was with God," Sharpstein said. "He was crying and overwrought with grief." Taylor was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m., the authorities said.
Miami-Dade police officials said today that they were treating the shooting as a homicide, and that their investigation was continuing. But they offered no information about its progress or possible suspects. Sharpstein, however, speculated that it was likely that the event was connected to a mysterious break-in at Taylor's house nine days earlier.
The shooting Monday was reported to the police at 1:46 a.m. by Taylor's girlfriend, who was in the house with Taylor in Palmetto Bay, an affluent suburb south of Miami. Taylor, bleeding profusely, was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital where he had surgery but remained in a critical condition throughout Monday.
He was unconscious for most of the day and although at one point he showed some signs of responding to a request to squeeze an attendant's hand he never fully awakened. "Everybody was sort of brightened by the response but he never showed any kind of real response," Sharpstein said.
"It's just a sad senseless useless tragedy, an example of the incessant violence in this town and every other town in America," Sharpstein said.
Taylor, his girlfriend and their 18-month-old daughter were in the master bedroom Monday morning when they heard a noise in the living room, Sharpstein said. Taylor grabbed a weapon from underneath his bed - which Sharpstein described as "a machete or something of that sort" - and was heading toward the bedroom door when someone burst through and opened fire with a pistol.
One bullet hit Taylor in the thigh and severed his femoral artery, and another hit a wall, Sharpstein said. The baby, who was in a crib, and Taylor's girlfriend, who was hiding under the bedsheets, were unhurt, he said. It was unclear whether there was more than one intruder.
Citing a request by Taylor's father, hospital officials and the police did not immediately release information about the nature of Taylor's injury or his condition.
But on Monday Sharpstein said in a telephone interview from the hospital that Taylor "bled out profusely" and remained unconscious for most of the day. Sharpstein, who said he was asked to speak to the news media by the family, said that doctors "were worried about loss of oxygen to the brain."
There seemed to be some hope Monday night, however, when Taylor responded to a doctor's request to squeeze his hand and show facial expressions, said Vinny Cerrato, vice president for football operations of the Redskins.
Taylor, who is in his fourth season as a free safety for the Redskins, was selected fifth over all in the 2004 National Football League draft after playing for the University of Miami. The Redskins signed him to a seven-year, $18 million contract, and he was widely considered to be one of the toughest and best young safeties in the league.
His fierce style of play earned him the nickname Tha Hitman. He was selected for the Pro Bowl last season and surprised viewers and players during that usually well-mannered contest by leveling a punter.
Although he had not played since spraining his knee during a Nov. 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Taylor led the Redskins this season with five interceptions.
Because of his injury, Taylor did not travel with the team to its game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, said William Norman, the Redskins' director of public relations.
In Ashburn, Va., where the Redskins' headquarters are located, several players were permitted to speak to reporters.
"This is not just a member of the Washington Redskins, but we're talking about a dad, a brother, a friend of ours, and that's where we're at with this right now," safety Pierson Prioleau said.
A contingent of players and officials from the Redskins organization, including the team owner Daniel Snyder, were scheduled to fly to Miami on Monday afternoon to join Taylor's family and friends who were keeping vigil at the hospital, Sharpstein said.
His father, Pedro W. Taylor, is the chief of the Florida City Police Department, a municipality in southern Miami-Dade County about 15 miles southwest of Taylor's home.
Taylor grew up in the Miami area and continued to live primarily in a sprawling, one-story house here in Palmetto Bay, a small, wealthy municipality of large houses and neatly tended lawns south of Miami. Taylor's corn-yellow house sits behind a six-foot white wall.
The incident was apparently the second time in nine days that someone broke into Taylor's house.
According to a Miami-Dade Police report, an intruder broke through a front window Nov. 17, entered several rooms, rifled through drawers and a safe, and left a kitchen knife on a bed. No one else was in the house at the time, Taylor told the police.
Investigators are apparently investigating whether there is any relation between these break-ins and a dispute two years ago between Taylor and some men in a depressed neighborhood near his home, Sharpstein said.
In June 2005, Taylor was arrested and charged with felony assault and battery after the authorities said he pointed a gun at three men outside a house in West Perrine and accused them of stealing two all-terrain vehicles from him.
Witnesses told the police that Taylor, accompanied by several people, assaulted one of the men and made death threats before driving off. Minutes later, a group of men drove by Taylor's parked S.U.V. and sprayed it with bullets from an AK-47 and a pistol. Taylor's vehicle was empty at the time, and the gunmen were never identified or arrested.
"I wouldn't be surprised if some of these people didn't have some relations to it," said Sharpstein, who represented Taylor in the case. "They were bad people. They were really bad people.
"But he had no fear," he added, speaking of Taylor.
Prosecutors negotiated a plea deal with Taylor and agreed to drop the felony charges. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation and pledged to donate time and money to various charities and schools in southern Florida.
Anahad O'Connor and Graham Bowley contributed reporting from New York. Terry Aguayo contributed reporting from Miami.
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Ah Beth??? He played for the Redskins!!! 0 -
any bets on baggy pants and drugs being involved 0 -
Your point pa???????
I really dont care who or what he played for...the point is, he is dead after a break in...what did he grab from under the bed?...would it have made a diff if he had a gun?0 -
quote:I really dont care who or what he played for...the point is, he is dead after a break in...what did he grab from under the bed?...would it have made a diff if he had a gun?
Yep, thats the part of the story that we should concentrate on.
BTW-- Taylor did play for the Miami Hurricanes when he was in college.
Jon0 -
quote:Originally posted by Jon0322
quote:I really dont care who or what he played for...the point is, he is dead after a break in...what did he grab from under the bed?...would it have made a diff if he had a gun?
Yep, thats the part of the story that we should concentrate on.
BTW-- Taylor did play for the Miami Hurricanes when he was in college.
Jon
He also went to my high school, albeit I graduated many years before him. I just got an e-mail that he was an alumnus of Gulliver Prep School in Miami, http://www.gulliverschools.org. They already have a notice up expressing their condolences.0 -
Same thing happens, 100 times a day, in cities all across this Country.
We only get to hear about the cases that involve people that "matter" To someone other than their families. Sad![V]0 -
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
He also went to my high school...of Gulliver Prep School in Miami, Gulliver is one of if not the most prestigious (ie: expensive) private school in Miami. BTW, it's actually located in the City of Coral Gables, where I live...but Miami area nonetheless.
OJ enrolled his 2 kids at Gulliver after moving to Miami.
Taylor could not own guns as he was arrested a few years ago for waving a gun and threatening someone. Taylor had an ATV stolen from him and he received a "tip" about who stole it. Shots were fired by Taylor and his buddies. Cops called, Taylor arrested...ATV never found.
BTW, he was being sued by the "victim" of this incident (atv theft) when he was murdered.0 -
I have no doubt there's much more to this story than we've been told. Stay tuned... 0 -
Sean was a GREAT football player, and had begun to turn his behavior around after his child was born. He will be missed by the Redskins, but also by all NFL fans, of which I am one.
God bless Sean and his family.0 -
Here is a C&P from Taylor's arrest mentioned on my previous post.
Sorry, but this paper SELLS archived articles...only this tidbit is free:
Miami Herald - June 5, 2005 -
REDSKINS' TAYLOR CHARGED IN SHOOTING
Former University of Miami All-American and current Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor turned himself in to police Saturday night and was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and battery. Taylor pointed a firearm at a person during a dispute over an allegedly stolen ATV and demanded to know where the vehicle was, said Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien. The incident occurred about 1 a.m. Wednesday, O'Brien said. No one was injured but a car was...added from my recollection: The car was shot up by "allegedly" Taylor's posse. It belonged to the person Taylor suspected of stealing his ATV, the same person who still has an ongoing lawsuit against Taylor.0 -
A sad, sad case. However, it proves the point, never bring a knife to a gunfight! Would it have made a difference if Taylor had carried a gun instead of a knife? We'll never know. However, if it were me going into that dark room, I'd take a gun over a knife any day. Standoff distance makes all the difference. I'd much rather have the standoff distance and intimidation factor provided by a firearm instead of having to get within arms length of the bad guy. In Taylor's scenario, the bad guy had the standoff and the advantage.
My personal home protection firearm is a US GI M-1 carbine with a 30-round mag--it's light, maneuverable in close quarters, provides adequate firepower without having to reload, and is more accurate (for me) than a pistol. My wife hates the idea of having a gun in the house for protection. However, if confronted with Taylor's scenario, there's no doubt in my mind what I'd do.
By the way, my wife was a high school teacher in Montgomery, Alabama last year. Her school was a "weapons free zone." Therefore, only the thugs brought guns to school. In the last two weeks of school alone, four different kids brought loaded guns to school. Two were pregnant girls who were feuding because they were pregnant by the same thug. During the same period, my wife was beat up by four thug girls who started a brawl right in the middle of class. It took the school's security guards 3 minutes to respond to the incident. During that time, my wife sustained a laceration over her right eye, a broken finger, and several bruises from being kicked while she was on the ground. The school principal had assured me that my wife was safe and that his security guards would handle any situation. I shudder to think what would have happened to my wife had any of her assailants been armed with even a knife.
I still say, never bring a knife to a gunfight. I contend schools should not be weapon-free zones for teachers and administrators. Every person has the right to self-defense. I think selected teachers who volunteer should be trained and authorized to carry concealed firearms in school. Then, the thugs can do their best to figure out who is helpless and who is not.
I know, I know, I'm a neanderthal! How could I ever suggest teachers be armed with weapons equal to any assailant's? After all, someone might get hurt, right? Well, people are getting hurt all the time. Better to be trained and prepared than dead. Too bad Mr. Taylor sacrificed his right to bear arms. When he faced his assailant, I'm sure he wished for another option.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dolfan
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
He also went to my high school...of Gulliver Prep School in Miami, Gulliver is one of if not the most prestigious (ie: expensive) private school in Miami. BTW, it's actually located in the City of Coral Gables, where I live...but Miami area nonetheless.
OJ enrolled his 2 kids at Gulliver after moving to Miami.
Yep, it was. So was Ransom-Everglades at the time I was in high school (class of 1986). Now, Gulliver has multiple campuses in the Gables, Pinecrest, etc.
FWIW, when I lived in Miami (near Red Road and Kendall Drive), the high school campus was NOT in Coral Gables. Gulliver Academy (the pre-8th grade campus) was in the Gables.0 -
Posted by fishkiller:
quote: Same thing happens, 100 times a day, in cities all across this Country.
We only get to hear about the cases that involve people that "matter" To someone other than their families. Sad!
You're absolutely right fishkiller.
When I posted the same story, I left out the words "FOOTBALL STAR" so nobody, save skyking, even responded.
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=274753
The kid may have been trying to get his life on the "right track".
At least he was LIVING with the alleged mother of his alleged child.
I still can't help but wonder how many other kids he and his "posse" have floating around out there.0 -
quote:Originally posted by stanman
When I posted the same story, I left out the words "FOOTBALL STAR" so nobody, save skyking, even responded.
I didn't respond because there was already an active thread on the topic, not because "football star" was not in the title.0 -
Posted by mateomasfeo:
quote:I didn't respond because there was already an active thread on the topic, not because "football star" was not in the title.
Sorry matty.
Didn't see that there was already an active thread on the subject at 05:30 this morning when I originally posted the topic.
Please provide a link to the earlier thread, I can't seem to find it.
Thanks.0 -
quote:Originally posted by stanman
Posted by mateomasfeo:
quote:I didn't respond because there was already an active thread on the topic, not because "football star" was not in the title.
Sorry matty.
Didn't see that there was already an active thread on the subject at 05:30 this morning when I originally posted the topic.
Please provide a link to the earlier thread, I can't seem to find it.
Thanks.
I am disagreeing with your assertion that "football star" was the reason people didn't read or post on your thread.
Likely, if you posted at 5:30 am it was well down the page from the other one and the topic was already being discussed in depth on THAT thread.0 -
Oh, and this was before 5:30 this morning and is the one I posted on...
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2746550 -
I didnt realize it was posted earlier....Have no idea where I was this morning, but obviously not here... 0 -
could it be "Taking a knife to a gunfight?" was a poorly chosen wording for a topic, and to most people would have nothing to do with the subject
here are 3 more similar topics with little or no response at all, i opened the topic, but did not respond since i already did in this one as well, and i care far less about a pro sports player than i do a homeless guy in Tibet
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=217921&SearchTerms=a,knife,to,a,gun,fight
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=214321&SearchTerms=a,knife,to,a,gun,fight
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=202410&SearchTerms=a,knife,to,a,gun,fight
before i opened it i thought it was totally something different0 -
stanman: If you will do a c&p you will get more responses. Many guys with the dial up, like me, do not even open links, takes too long, have to go clean up the damn cookies, could even get a virus etc. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
I have no doubt there's much more to this story than we've been told. Stay tuned...
+10 -
They say someone broke in and left a dagger in his bed a couple of weeks ago, but the "cult of Assasins" would never use firearms for an assasination. Also, they say "shot in the leg" instead of "Buckwheat". 0 -
He may have been a football star but it appears he was far from a "model citizen" and I suspect it will eventually be found to be more than a random breakin/killing. Another star who thinks they are above the law and bulletproof???????????????????? 0 -
Someone broke in 8 days ago, rifled through the drawers, and left a knife on Taylor's bed.
That is not a normal burglary, that is someone leaving a message.
I heard on the radio that the gunman kicked in the door of the bedroom where Taylor was sleeping.
Now who the hell is going to do that? You know a NFL player is in there, unless you plan on shooting him, an NFL football player will crush you like an empty beer can.
He shot Taylor in the leg, here again sounds like someone sending a message, and probably not trying to kill. It is a fluke to get one bullet in the thigh and cut the femoral, it is a tube only about 3/4 inch wide.0
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