Denver Broncos CB Killed last night

[slugking50]

Cornerback Darren Williams was killed in a drive-by last night while he was in the back of a limo with 2 friends.

Just heard Dana Jacobson say it on ESPN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2716385


Updated: Jan. 1, 2007, 9:00 AM ET
Broncos' Williams killed Monday morning


Associated Press




DENVER -- Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in downtown Denver early Monday morning, police said.

Williams
​

Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 3 a.m. from the scene of the shooting and told him three people had been shot and that Williams had been killed.

A little after 2 a.m., a white Hummer limousine was sprayed with bullets from a vehicle that pulled up along its side, said Sonny Jackson, spokesperson for the Denver Police Department.

Three people in the limousine were hit and were taken to area hospitals, where one man was pronounced dead, Jackson said. The other man and woman who were shot were not identified.
Jackson said police were searching for the suspects and interviewing witnesses.

"We have no motive yet," Jackson said. "We're hoping to talk with witnesses to find out where they were coming from, and that might give us some clues."

Saccomano said he spoke with coach Mike Shanahan and others in the organization.

"Complete shock. We're speechless. It takes words away. A terrible tragedy," Saccomano said.

Hours before the shooting, the Broncos lost to San Francisco 26-23 in overtime, eliminating them from the playoff race.

The 24-year-old Williams finished the season with 88 tackles, 78 of them solo, and four interceptions.

On Sunday against the 49ers, he had three tackles and returned two punts for 50 yards before leaving the game with a shoulder injury late in the second half.

Williams, a second-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State in 2005, made an immediate impact on the Broncos, starting nine times in his rookie season following a stellar career at Oklahoma State, where he totaled 11 interceptions and scored three touchdowns on punt returns.

Players and coaches are off Monday. They were scheduled to meet Tuesday before heading home for the offseason.


Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

 

[Warhawk]

Very sad.

Not to be a bit callus or anything, but just a question - if he left the game with a shoulder injury, why is he out at 3 am in a limo? Seems strange, but maybe the injury wasn't that serious????

 

[Elise10]

I'm guessing since it was New Year's Eve, that may explain the limo.

RIP

 

[nebs]

Very sad.

Not to be a bit callus or anything, but just a question - if he left the game with a shoulder injury, why is he out at 3 am in a limo? Seems strange, but maybe the injury wasn't that serious????

Probably playing football and sitting in a cozy limo are slightly different activities for your shoulder to deal with.

I'm in shock. I was a fan of Darrent Williams. He was a short little CB with all kinds of quickness.

 

[6th]

How sad. May he RIP!

 

[SLAB]

Im shocked.

This is terrible.

RIP....

 

[pdxKingsFan]

That just caps a crappy day for Broncos fans although it could have been worse as apparently Jevon Walker was also in the limo and escaped injury. I can't fault a guy for going out on New Years Eve and this group of Broncos players have been class acts all season (not calling players out publically during their losing skid nor have they had a history of legal troubles). By all accounts there was a confrontation at the bar they were in and they walked away to avoid further trouble which unfortunately followed them out the door.

RIP

 

[nebs]

Just heard on NFL Network that Javon Walker was in the limo with him and Darrent died right on his lap after being shot.

Apparently they were at a party for Carmelo Anthony and rubbed elbows with some gang bangers and decided to head out to avoid problems and go off to Allen Iverson's party. Which they were on their way to when the gang bangers rolled back up on them.

 

[VF21]

There simply aren't words to describe the feelings I have after reading this. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and all those who are sitting somewhere right now trying to find a reason for something like this.

 

[NikateeN]

Horrible, life is crazy and can be taken away without notice, boggles my mind sometimes.

RIP

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

Really shocking. Darrent Williams was my favorite young player on the Broncos. All signs pointed to him having a long career and a successful life. To be killed in random violence the day after the last game of the season? Lousy world.

Rest in Peace

 

[Prophetess]

Rip

 

[kennadog]

Just terrible and senseless. My deepst sympathies go out to his friends and loved ones. Sorry Broncos fans.

 

[Purple Reign]

I had to post this story because it is very true

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/16371808.htm?source=rss&channel=dailynews_sports

John Smallwood | Reaction to Broncos player's killing a crime




THESE ARE THE times that we live in.

We've become hardened, numbed and desensitized to the violence and death that has become an everyday part of our society.

Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed early Monday morning, gunned down while sitting in a stretch limousine after leaving a New Year's Eve party.

About 9 hours earlier, he had played in the Broncos' last game of the season - a shocking overtime loss at home to the San Francisco 49ers that eliminated Denver from the playoffs.

There was a time, not all that long ago, that the killing of a professional athlete, no matter his or her stature, would have been the lead story in cities across the nation.

Yesterday, just a little more than 24 hours after Williams was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting, the story was not considered front-page news virtually anywhere except Denver.

As a 12-year-old living in Maryland in 1978, I had never heard of California Angels outfielder Lyman Bostock until he was killed in a drive-by shooting that made national news.

Maybe the years have clouded my recollection, but I sure remember it being big news.

Yesterday, NFL.com, the official Web site of the National Football League, listed three cover stories - former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe breaking down this weekend's playoff games; reporter Vic Carucci's All-Interview Team; and a feature on the Kansas City Chiefs slipping into the playoffs by virtue of the Broncos' loss.

Williams' violent death was listed in the headlines section, under ones about coaches Jim Mora Jr. and Dennis Green getting fired; Miami coach Nick Saban staying mum on a megamillion-dollar offer from the University of Alabama; wild-card weekend; adopt a playoff team; and vote for your favorite Super Bowl ad.

I wasn't up early Monday when ESPN began its news cycle so I can't say for sure how Williams' death was played, but I know that as the bowl scores started coming in, Williams' violent demise dropped further and further down the rotation.

I'm not criticizing the NFL or ESPN or any media outlet.
I'm just pointing out that if the killing of one of its players can be treated in such a minor light by the NFL, is it any wonder that the Daily News would rate it lower in significance than Penn State winning the Outback Bowl, Eagles tackle Jon Runyan being the active leader in NFL playoff starts since 1999 or Allen Iverson playing his first game against the Sixers as a member of the Denver Nuggets?

Hey, we had 406 homicides in Philadelphia in 2006.

We started 2007 off with a bang when police shot and killed a 20-year-old man in an exchange of gunfire about 10 minutes into the new year.

In Philadelphia, as in most urban areas across America, murder by gunfire is a routine daily story. Why should another shooting death get more prominence just because a victim in Denver was an NFL player?

You're damn right. That's a callous and cold take on things, but that's the entire point of this column.

Once, murder shocked us.
Now, unless the killing is the result of some kind of twisted or bizarre act; unless the victim is an "A-list" celebrity; unless the killer is famous on the way to infamy; murder is just a quick read on the way to a more interesting story.

It's the sign of the times.
About the only thing that virtually every religion agrees on is murder being the most serious of sins, yet, it has become such an accepted part of American society that it can now slip in importance below the results of a sporting event.

Four days after teammate Bryan Pata was shot in the head and killed, the University of Miami football team was sent into action against the University of Maryland.

Does anyone believe that if Denver had made the playoffs the NFL would have postponed an AFC wild-card game this weekend to allow Broncos players time to grieve?

The justification line would have been Williams loved football and would have wanted Denver to play and win the game for him.
And for 98.992 percent of us, that would have been explanation enough to forget Williams' killing, sit back and enjoy the game.

Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin - whose birthday/New Year's party Williams was attending the morning he was killed - told the Denver Post about the shooting, "It is what it is... It's an unfortunate thing. This is not the first time it has happened, and it won't be the last time."

Martin's statement is chilling for its matter-of-factness.
So many young men, particularly young African-American men, grow up around violence and death and they've accepted it as a normal part of life.

Sadly, because we've read about it, heard about it or even seen it so many times, we've done the same thing.

Once the shooting death of a professional athlete would have shocked us. Now, it's just another everyday thing.

 

[nebs]

Good to see Javon Walker out at the Kings game. Probably the Maloofs inviting him out. This is his first public appearance.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Does Walker have a Sacramento connection?

 

[nebs]

Does Walker have a Sacramento connection?

I have a feeling the connection is the Maloofs. They probably invited him out. Just my guess.