Denver Broncos Cornerback Darrent Williams - Shot dead

[irulepoker]

Broncos cornerback shot and killed in drive-by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer

 

 

 

January 1, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AP - Jan 1, 3:07 pm EST

 

 

 

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DENVER (AP) -- Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting early Monday after an argument at a nightclub, his limousine sprayed with bullets in downtown Denver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 3 a.m. from the scene and told him three people had been shot, and the 24-year-old Williams had been killed. His death came hours after the Denver Broncos were eliminated from the playoff race.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little after 2 a.m., a white Hummer limousine was fired on from a vehicle that pulled up along its side, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. As many as a dozen bullet holes were visible on the driver's side of the vehicle. One window was blown out and four others had bullet holes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three people in the limo were hit and taken to St. Anthony Central Hospital, where one man was pronounced dead, Jackson said. The other man and woman who were shot were not identified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rocky Mountain News reported that wide receiver Javon Walker was one of the passengers but wasn't wounded. It was unclear how many people were in the limo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jackson said there was a dispute at a nightclub several blocks from the shooting where Williams and his group had attended a New Year's Eve party. He said the argument didn't specifically involve Williams, according to witnesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Why this happened, we're not sure," Jackson said. "There was some confrontation between a group of people in the vehicle and a group at the nightclub."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Police were searching for a white Suburban or Tahoe they suspect was involved in the shooting. Jackson wouldn't identify any of the other passengers nor would he confirm whether any other Broncos players were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, saying they were all witnesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The limo sat in a snowbank beside Speer Boulevard, a main street through downtown. Police and technicians worked amid snow and ice from recent storms, using small yellow plastic markers to indicate possible evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saccomano said he spoke with coach Mike Shanahan and others in the organization. Hours earlier, the Broncos lost to San Francisco 26-23 in overtime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It is a terrible tragedy," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello added. "We don't know all the details yet, but we are reaching out to the Broncos to offer our support."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The previous active NFL player to die was Thomas Herrion of San Francisco. He had a heart attack following an exhibition game in Denver on Aug. 20, 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champ Bailey was among the Broncos players and staff members who gathered at Denver Health Medical Center, where Williams' body was taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AP - Jan 1, 3:07 pm EST

 

 

 

More Photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He had a big heart and a lot of courage," said Cedric Smith, assistant strength and conditioning coach. "It's a tragedy, a complete tragedy. It's sickening."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams played two seasons with Darrent Williams at Oklahoma State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It makes you want to stay home and not go out to places when you see things like that," Kevin Williams said. "You hate to see it. He was a hardworking kind of guy. He was a great guy."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy called the death a "tragic loss for the Broncos family, Oklahoma State University and anyone who knew Darrent Williams. It's a loss that goes far beyond the football field."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Williams teamed with Bailey to give Denver one of the NFL's top cornerback tandems. Williams finished the season with 88 tackles, 78 of them solo, and four interceptions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though players and coaches were off given the day off and weren't scheduled to meet until Tuesday before scattering for the offseason, about 20 players gathered at team headquarters Monday to console one another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Anytime you lose a guy who was close to everyone, it hurts," punter Paul Ernster said. "From the get-go, he was like one of your good friends."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday against the 49ers, Williams had three tackles and returned two punts for 50 yards before leaving the game with a shoulder injury late in the second half. After the game he said he planned to wait a few weeks before deciding if he needed an operation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Williams, a second-round draft pick in 2005, made an immediate impact on the Broncos. He started nine times in his rookie season following a stellar college career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Criss, Williams' high school football coach in Fort Worth, Texas, spoke with the cornerback often, and as recently as two weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"When he was younger, he always gravitated to the wrong crowd," Criss said. "I remember he went to church and the minister was talking to him about needing to pray and stop hanging around with the wrong people, and he started straightening up and doing the right thing."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Williams matured at Oklahoma State, turning his eye toward pro football, Criss said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I visited him his junior year, and he was grown," Criss said. "Everything was, `Yes, sir. No, sir."'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December, Williams spoke of returning to his hometown this offseason to talk to youngsters about staying out of gangs. Williams, who has two young children in the Fort Worth area, recently talked to Criss about establishing a free football camp for youth players.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"He had great compassion," Criss said. "He always wanted to try to make sure people did the right thing. He wanted to be a good parent, a good father, a good example for his kids. He will be missed."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AP Sports Writers Pat Graham in Denver and Dave Campbell in Minneapolis and Associated Press Writers Steven K. Paulson in Denver and Jeff Carlton in Fort Worth contributed to this report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:cry:

[Buckeyemange]

A sad story. He was a great player, and had the ability to become the next great corner. So much potential wasted...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

[Gin_and_Tonic]

Although i do not know who he is, the loss of a person due to unjust circumstances is always sad :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts go out to all those who loved him.

[insane]

So he got shot because he played a bad game?

[rushrock]

R.I.P.

[timmay929]

R.I.P. A tragedy for football players and fans around the world.

[SanFranciscoGiants]

Dang. He was becoming such a good corner and has so much potential. Very sad. :cry:

[irulepoker]

So he got shot because he played a bad game?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.. If you read it you'd understand it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He got in an argument at a club afterwards, and was shot as he left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had a lot of potential too.. :cry:

[Arcticrunite]

Football Players..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no no no

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Athletes and Nightclubs do NOT mix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There should be a clause in each contract forbidding entrance into a nightclub or a bar. This isnt the first time someone got shot at a nightclub and died this year. It's stupid, you should play the game, go home, and go back tomorrow to practice. You're worth tens and hundreds of millions of dollars, and you do something stupid like getting drunk and arguing and now youre not worth tens of millions of dollars, youre worth nothing now because youre dead, whats the use of playing when youre dead?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, just athletes and nightclubs never go hand in hand.