[Deathwatch] Sean Taylor, athlete, 24

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Redskins star Taylor dies from gunshot

Sean Taylor, a star defensive player with the National Football
League's Washington Redskins, died on Tuesday after being shot during
an apparent burglary at his home near Miami, local media reported.

Taylor, 24, who was the Redskins first pick in the 2004 draft, was shot
by an intruder in the groin area, severing his femoral artery, on
Monday, police and media said.

He was airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment but
died from his wound after heavy blood loss, the Washington and Miami
affiliates of CBS News and other networks said.

Taylor's lawyer Richard Sharpstein told WSVN television in Miami that
he was called by the football player's father, Pete Taylor, a sheriff
in south Florida, and given the news at around 5:30 a.m. EST.

"They're just overcome at this particular point at the loss of a son, a
father, a friend and an incredible person," Sharpstein said.

Miami-Dade police said they were called to Taylor's four-bedroom house
in Palmetto Bay, a village south of Miami, at 1:45 a.m. by a woman who
said Taylor had been shot.

A college star with the University of Miami, Taylor had apparently been
shot by an intruder in the groin area and was airlifted to Ryder Trauma
center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Family and friends had been optimistic on Monday night that he would
pull through, despite suffering heavy blood loss.

Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president for players and personnel,
told reporters outside the hospital on Monday night, "We've had
positive news from the doctors."

Taylor's father said then the family was "so happy."

But before daybreak family members were seen leaving the hospital in
tears.

The hard-hitting safety had five interceptions this season but had been
sidelined the last two weeks with a leg injury.

Taylor had a run-in with the law two years ago stemming from a
gun-related incident.

He was charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault with a
weapon and one count each of simple assault and simple battery in
connection with a June 2005 incident where he was accused of waving a
gun at a group of people he suspected of stealing his all-terrain
vehicle.

He could have faced up to 46 years in prison.

In June 2006 he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault and battery
charges and prosecutors dropped the more serious felony charges.

Many thanks to Deathwatch Central for posting this obituary