__________________Sean Taylor shooting (updated)
Another sad day in University of Miami football history. As many of you already know, former Hurricane and current Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was shot at his Palmetto Bay home early this morning by an intruder at around 2 a.m. and is currently in critical condition at Ryder Trauma Center in Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The Herald is working the story hard. Since I have covered Taylor since his playing days at Gulliver Prep in Coral Gables, I've been trying to find out as much information as I can through my high school connections. Here's what I've found out.
According to family and friends, Taylor was at home with his girlfriend and their young daughter when he heard a noise in the back of his house. He went to investigate and was supposedly shot in the groin, in an area where a lot of arteries are. The gunshot by the alleged robber has caused him to lose a lot of blood.
"From what I've heard from his family and I'm in constant contact with them from the hospital, he was shot in area where it is very difficult to operate," a Gulliver assistant football coach told me. "They think he's going to make it, but there's a fear his career is over. It's such a sad day around here. We're waiting by the phone to hear what's going on."
UPDATE (1:15 p.m.): That's what I got at 12:30 this afternoon. This was the latest update from the same assistant. "He's had surgery and he's out of it now. I'm not sure if he's going to have other procedure. But from what I hear he may not be able to play again. They think his career is over. He lost too much blood and apparently it affected his brain some. It just doesn't sound good and its going to be a long road back to recovery."
Washington Post
3:12 PM ET, 11/26/2007
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.
I have been in shock all day and have basically been sitting in my office and staring at my computer while listening to sportstalk980.