Sean Taylor: Seven Hours of Surgery

He's stronger than I thought

Redskins safety Sean Taylor underwent seven hours of surgery last night and flatlined twice. There are still sketchy details but we know one thing: an intruder or intruders broke into his home in Florida where he was sleeping, presumably his fiancee and 18 month old daughter were in the house with him sometime after 1am Sunday night, he rose from his bed at the noise, he was shot in the leg, his femoral artery was severed, the assailant or assailants fled, he was rushed to a hospital and nearly died and he is not out of the woods yet.

He has responded to stimuli, squeezed hands and made facial expressions. There are no more surgeries planned for him but the doctors still have no idea if injuries extend from his wound to his brain or other organs from loss of blood or oxygen.

Owner Dan Snyder, Vinny Cerrato, former University of Miami teammate Clinton Portis, head trainer Bubba Tyer and maybe others took the Redskins jet to Miami yesterday. Prior to hearing news of the shooting the team was unaware Sean was in Miami, having been excused from the Tampa Bay game Sunday due to his knee injury.

No arrests have been made and the status of the investigation is unknown. The police report indicates there are signs of forced entry but apparently a breakin was reported at Sean's house on 18 November, when Sean would have been in Dallas traveling with the team but not playing, and the police have not yet determined whether the damage was caused last night or last week.

Sean's attorney seems insistent that this was a burglary but nothing was stolen. It seems more like an assault and there is disturbing evidence that this was a deliberate attack, if not thoroughly planned: when Sean's fiancee went to call 911 after Sean had been shot, the phone line was dead, it had been cut. She used her mobile phone.

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Team reaction. Latest official team statement. Mike Wise on the difficulty of strong men dealing with problems that strength alone can't fix.

The Washington Post has put together a timeline of Sean's pro career, and in blog fashion it has links to the related WaPo stories.

Despite apparent repeated breakins or attempted breakins recently, Sean's house does not have a security alarm (op. cit.).

Michael Wilbon's online chat from yesterday, he has gotten some negative play, read it for yourself, he won't be the only one that thinks lifestyle and heritage played into this.

Sean's neighbors and neighborhood don't sound exactly rough and he is considered a good neighbor. His house is big but by no means flashy, or at least that is how it has been described. I have been to Miami but not this part of town.

Redskins fans held a vigil for Sean last night.


More on this story as it develops throughout the day.



Sean Taylor: Win McNamee / Getty Images image from here.