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WASHINGTON - The NFL and football fans reacted with grief and shock at the news that Washington Redskins All-Pro safety Sean Taylor had died today after being shot during an apparent burglary at his Miami home.
"This is the worst imaginable tragedy," said Redskins owner Daniel Snyder in
a statement.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Sean's family."
Redskins fans had staged a candlelight vigil outside the team's training complex on Monday evening following reports that Taylor had been shot and airlifted to a Miami hospital.
Taylor, 24, the Redskins top pick in the 2004 NFL draft, was shot in the groin area severing his femoral artery according to police and local media and died on Wednesday (NZ time) of apparent blood loss.
"We're family, we're Redskins," said one fan on the Redskins website (www.redskins.com). "It doesn't matter if you're a fan or a player if you work for an organisation you're part of the Redskins family. If we're not there to support each other who is?"
Taylor, who rarely spoke to reporters or granted interviews, was a favourite of Redskins fan and feared by opposing receivers because of his ferocious tackling.
He was tied for the National Football Conference lead for interceptions with five despite missing the last two games with a knee injury. Taylor had been recuperating at his home in Miami where he had starred at the University of Miami earning All-American honours.
"We see how fragile life is," said Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, in a media briefing on the team's website.
"For me personally to see how Sean had grown since he came here, the way he had impressed all of us.
"I knew how much his baby meant to him, he would come to the complex here and be carrying that baby and I could see in him the maturing process.
"All those things go through my mind. I've never gone through anything like this before, so it's hard for me to put it into words.
"I haven't been through it and I'm living it an hour at a time. I think we all are, trying to do what's best.
"I think when our players get back in here on Wednesday we'll just take it one day at a time and see how we do."
Taylor's death was the second fatal shooting of a NFL player this year. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting on January 1.
- REUTERS