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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2007
>> NFL
League, family mourn loss of Redskins safety Taylor; police looking at every angle in murder investigation
Team to honor teammate with patches on jerseys and No.21 on helmets during its weekend home game
BY JOSEPH WHITE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASHBURN, Va. - Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's eyes were red. His voice cracked and was barely audible. Next to him sat coach Joe Gibbs, barely more composed.
Safety Sean Taylor's violent death had left his team in tears and the NFL in mourning.
"This is a terrible, terrible tragedy." Snwder said.
Taylor died early Tuesday of a gunshot wound from an apparent intruder, a tragic end for a 24-year-old man whose life was transformed by the birth of a daughter 18 months ago.
"We're going to miss him," Gibbs said. "I'm not talking about a player. I'm talking about as a person."
A day earlier, Taylor and his girlfriend were awakened by load noises,
according to family friend Richard Sharpstein, who learned the details from Taylor's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia. He said Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in backpack.
the bedroom for protection.
Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Neither Taylor's daughter, Jackie, nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured in the attack.
did not know why Taylor returned to Miami during the weekend. Taylor was not required to accompany the team to Sunday's game at Tampa Bay because of a knee injury.
"We're going to miss him. I'm not talking about as a player.I'm talking about as a person."
The bullet damaged the femoral artery in Taylor's leg, causing significant blood loss. Taylor never regained consciousness, Sharpstein said.
JOE GIBBS Redskins coach
Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said he
Police had no description of a possible suspect and were investigating whether the shooting was connected to a break-in at Taylor's home eight days earlier, in which police said someone
pried open a front window, rifted through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed.
"They're going to be looking at every angle," Miami-Dade Police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said. "They're going to be looking at every lead."
Authorities from Miami-Dade Police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were in and out of Taylor's home throughout the day. Police were seen taking a computer from Taylor's home.
A stream of family and friends arrived throughout the day, including his father, Florida City police chief Pedro Taylor. Some embraced outside; most came and went without speaking
Washington Reds' reds of Redskins safer after he was shot in mourning for a team
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