Nov 27, 2007 9:40 pm US/Eastern
Redskins' Taylor Dies Following Shooting At Home
PALMETTO BAY (CBS4) ―
Washington Redskins and former Miami Hurricanes player Sean Taylor has died of injuries sustained in a shooting Monday morning at his Palmetto Bay Home.
Family friend Richard Sharpstein said Taylor's father called him around 5:30 a.m. to tell him the news.
"His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me," said Sharpstein, Taylor's former lawyer. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans."
The safety was hospitalized in Miami early Monday in critical condition after being shot by an intruder at his Palmetto Bay home, according to Miami-Dade Police. He then underwent six hours of surgery.
Doctors had been encouraged late Monday night when Taylor squeezed a nurse's hand. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn't sure how he had squeezed the nurse's hand.
"Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something," Sharpstein said.
Miami Dade Police say they received a call at about 1:45 a.m. Monday from his girlfriend who said he had been shot in his lower body. Miami-Dade police Lt. Nancy Perez said he was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Sharpstein said the player's father, Florida City Chief of Police Pedro Taylor, told him his son had been shot in the leg and there was much bleeding because the femoral artery was severed.
Investigators interviewed the girlfriend and other relatives who were in the home to try to determine what happened, Perez said. Police say they did find signs of a forced entry into the home, but they don't know yet if this was from this break-in or a recent burglary that occurred in the home on November 18th.
"It could have been a possible burglary; it could have been a possible robbery," Perez said. "It has not been confirmed as yet."
Taylor 's girlfriend and child were not injured.
The 24-year-old player was in his fourth season with the Redskins after playing at the University of Miami, where he was an All-American in 2003. He led the team with five interceptions but has missed the last two games because of a knee injury.
Taylor had been in trouble numerous times since he was drafted as the No. 5 overall pick in 2004.
He was 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 was slow to let anyone in his inner circle. He rarely spoke to reporters, saying he did 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.
Taylor bought his home in Palmetto Bay for $900,000 two years ago.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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