NFL safety Sean Taylor shot

[fluid.forty.one]

What a tragedy. I don't even know what I would do if something this sad happened to one of our Mavericks.

[alby]

It wasn't just one shot to the leg. It was one to the chest and one to the leg. I'm sure they may not have planned to actually take Sean Taylor's life, but aiming a loaded gun and pulling the trigger at someone's chest says a lot about the gun carrier's intent.

[Male30Dan]

Alby, I think he was only shot in the leg.

[Male30Dan]

I even tried Googling Sean Taylor Shot Chest and nada...

As you can see here...

[Male30Dan]

"Taylor, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft following an All-American season at Miami, was shot early Monday in the upper leg, damaging the key femoral artery and causing significant blood loss.

Trauma experts said a serious wound to this large artery, leading from the abdomen through the upper thigh, is among the most difficult to fix and can quickly drain the body of blood. Too long a blood loss prevents oxygen from reaching the brain and vital organs."

Fox News Article...

[dalmations202]

I haven't kept up with it totally, but I thought it was one shot missed and one shot hit him in the leg (groin).

[mary]

I thought he was shot in the groin.

But other than that, I agree with alby.

If I'm on the jury, the fact that someone carries a loaded weapon with them while attempting another crime, is all I need know about their motivation. They may have not actually planned on shooting anyone, but they carried a loaded weapon, and knew that option was their for them - or at least one of them did.

[Male30Dan]

I just think it is sad that they ruined their lives and took a life over a simple robbery. I think the gun was likely there in case they had to defend themselves against the homeowner, just like I would imagine any thief has SOMETHING in case they are caught, whether it is a knife or a loaded gun, (either can kill).

I just think the intent SHOULD be factored in. Yeah, he shot Taylor, but probably falling back after being surprised by the homeowner coming forward with a machette and, as pointed out earlier, almost shitting his pants. That would explain where he shot him because, if you are aiming to kill, you don't shoot a guy in his upper leg. He is just some 17 year old kid that went with friends to get some jewelery and cash from a mansion and now will be in jail for the rest of his life.

It is just unfortunate. I am not trying to make him look innocent and I don't think he should just serve 10 years or anything, I am just saying. It is unfortunate that a kid not even old enough to be out of High School already has this life long burden before he could ever straighten up his life.

[Flacolaco]

The kid was 17? More quality American parenting.

[jthig32]

I see where you're coming from Dan, but if you invade another person's home, and kill that person while you are inside of his home, you deserve whatever the hell you get, imo.

If it was a store robbery, I might feel a little differently. But making the decisions to carry a gun while you commit a home invasion...I mean what do you expect to happen.

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

The kid was 17? More quality American parenting.

I agree Flac, but it is still sad for the kid, wouldn't you say.

I mean I remember how it was. I remember High School where [insert name] called you a [insert derogatory adjective] and you had to act tough and had to be tough. You had to have your fist fight during lunch or after school.

Well the difference is I grew up in a small no/limited-gang town and his world is much different. Those fights I had with fists are done with knives and guns so it is part of the upbringing. Does that make it right? Of course not. Am I condoning him carrying a weapon because not carrying one is showing up to his life-long gunfight with only a knife? Nope! But without any good parenting, (and even with good parenting sometimes if a kid is bound and determined to do it his way), and in a neighborhood he likely grew up in with peer pressure everywhere and gangs everywhere it is the norm to fall into it.

I just feel for the kid too. Maybe if the family moved away when they saw their son showing signs of being involved he could have turned his life around. It just sucks in general for all parties of this.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

I'm not going to be as hard as everyone else is on these kids. They made a mistake. A mistake that cost Sean Taylor's life and more than likely their lives as well. Its unfortunate but those kids didn't go in there to kill Sean Taylor. I'm sure when they saw him they probably shitted in their pants and the result ended up being Sean Taylor being shot in the leg which ended up killing him. That being said, I hope they send them to a jail in DC. They wouldn't make it out there. These kids aren't killers or thugs. They're wannabe's who are going to end up in prison with real killers and thugs.

So they carried a loaded gun while invading someone's home, and they're not thugs?

Wow. What a bleeding heart.

I wonder what you would think of someone that came into your house in the middle of the night with a weapon.

To be clear, I recognize that these guys were kids and probably not hardened criminals. I also recgonize how sad it is for their lives to turn out this way. However, that does not rationalize what happened in the slightest. Bad upbringing and surroundings or not, everyone still has their choice.

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I see where you're coming from Dan, but if you invade another person's home, and kill that person while you are inside of his home, you deserve whatever the hell you get, imo.

If it was a store robbery, I might feel a little differently. But making the decisions to carry a gun while you commit a home invasion...I mean what do you expect to happen.

I didn't say he won't deserve his punishment. I am just saying that it shouldn't be looked at as anything more than it is, which is a burglary attempt by a "kid" that went all wrong leading to him committing murder. Again, I just think intent should be somewhere in all of this. I mean don't you feel like a police officer that pulls you over for running a stop sign that you didn't see should let you off the hook because you had no intentions of doing that and you always obey the traffic laws? Sure you do. Is that analogy terrible considering I am comparing murder to a ticket? Yeah, but the point is the same. His crime SHOULD HAVE BEEN B&E with possession charges as that is all the kid was signing up for, despite his bad decision to bring the weapon.

Again, I don't want to come off as supporting the killer here, but I just seem torn over wanting to hang the guys responsible and knowing what it was like growing up while trying to be tough and everything while a kid in High School. As I mentioned above, it just sucks for all parties.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Male26Dan

I didn't say he won't deserve his punishment. I am just saying that it shouldn't be looked at as anything more than it is, which is a burglary attempt by a "kid" that went all wrong leading to him committing murder. Again, I just think intent should be somewhere in all of this. I mean don't you feel like a police officer that pulls you over for running a stop sign that you didn't see should let you off the hook because you had no intentions of doing that and you always obey the traffic laws? Sure you do. Is that analogy terrible considering I am comparing murder to a ticket? Yeah, but the point is the same. His crime SHOULD HAVE BEEN B&E with possession charges as that is all the kid was signing up for, despite his bad decision to bring the weapon.

Again, I don't want to come off as supporting the killer here, but I just seem torn over wanting to hang the guys responsible and knowing what it was like growing up while trying to be tough and everything while a kid in High School. As I mentioned above, it just sucks for all parties.

Well, again, the difference to me is where the B&E occured. If it's an empty store overnight, I could come a lot closer to looking at intent and going a little softer.

When you enter someone's home, when it's occupied, in the middle of the night, that's a home invasion. And if I'm in that house, I'm not stopping to ask their intent, whether they just want my tv or if they have something worse in mind.

There's a reason we have the castle laws or whatever they're referred to, and the laws have been changed so that people involved in a home invasion are free and clear to do whatever is necessary to protect their family.

It's just different when you entire an occupied home. To me.

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by jthig32

So they carried a loaded gun while invading someone's home, and they're not thugs?

Wow. What a bleeding heart.

I wonder what you would think of someone that came into your house in the middle of the night with a weapon.

To be clear, I recognize that these guys were kids and probably not hardened criminals. I also recgonize how sad it is for their lives to turn out this way. However, that does not rationalize what happened in the slightest. Bad upbringing and surroundings or not, everyone still has their choice.

Yup... I don't agree with him either on these guys... They may be wanna-be thugs, but they are thugs nonetheless.

I also agree that in the end we all do have a choice and the kid made his.

With that said, have you never had peer pressure steer you into a bad decision? I know I have. I have even had peer pressure steer me into theft - although not nearly to this extent, (grocery store stuff). That was when I was like 14 too, (I was a pretty bad kid from like 10-15). Now factor in his lifestyle, neighborhood, nearby gangs if any, and today's world and it isn't too much of a stretch to see a guy like me tagging along on some random home burglary thinking the homeowners are out of town. That is why I said earlier it just sucks that this happened before he had time to turn his life around like I did. Do I think I ever would have done that? No, but it is in the realm of possibilities given what I did in my situation and how much harder his situation likely was.

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Well, again, the difference to me is where the B&E occured. If it's an empty store overnight, I could come a lot closer to looking at intent and going a little softer.

When you enter someone's home, when it's occupied, in the middle of the night, that's a home invasion. And if I'm in that house, I'm not stopping to ask their intent, whether they just want my tv or if they have something worse in mind.

There's a reason we have the castle laws or whatever they're referred to, and the laws have been changed so that people involved in a home invasion are free and clear to do whatever is necessary to protect their family.

It's just different when you entire an occupied home. To me.

I can see that - definitely. I understand your stance and I don't know that I necessarily disagree with it at all. But even in agreeing with it, I think that the intent that should be taken into consideration from the jury should still be lighter than had he entered the home with the intent to simply kill the man, which is my main point here.

Yeah, the intent "break" given to the kid would be less than had he robbed a store and the store owner happened to be in there, but both situations would be less than cold-blooded premeditated murder imo.

[Flacolaco]

Parents, set an example for your children. Tell them you love them. Raise them in a home with a father and a mother. Word hark, and earn an honest living. Move them to the safest neighborhood you can afford. Be mindful of who their friends are.

Set a mother effing example for your children. Stuff like this wouldn't stop, but it sure would be lessened quite a bit.

[Male30Dan]

A mother can only do so much, which is what happens in most of these cases. No father figure to help stop some of it from going down. That was my situation early on anyway.

[MavsX]

well the world needs ditch diggers too.

[alby]

It looks like I was mistaken about the shot to the chest, I may have heard wrong from my friend. Reading these articles get me in such a somber mood. Did you guys realize he was left unconcious right from the outset of the gunshots, while he was at the hospital he squeezed the nurse's hand which gave everyone hope, only to pass away later that morning? Sad stuff.

[Male30Dan]

Really? No I didn't know that. That must have been really terrifying for the girlfriend. Crazy that a shot to the upper leg would knock you unconscious when sometimes shots to the head don't.

[dalmations202]

I had a cousin who died from a broken leg that happened in a motorcycle wreck. Bone broke the femoral artery and he bled to death. He was less than 20 min from the hospital.

I have a brother in-law who was hit by a train (he was the passenger and the train nose literally hit the door beside him), and his vehicle thrown over 200' off the tracks, but survives today and sustained no major problems.

When it is your time, it is your time.

[Dtownsfinest]

Originally Posted by jthig32

So they carried a loaded gun while invading someone's home, and they're not thugs?

Wow. What a bleeding heart.

I wonder what you would think of someone that came into your house in the middle of the night with a weapon.

To be clear, I recognize that these guys were kids and probably not hardened criminals. I also recgonize how sad it is for their lives to turn out this way. However, that does not rationalize what happened in the slightest. Bad upbringing and surroundings or not, everyone still has their choice.

No they're not thugs. They're guys that want to be thugs. I see them all the time. A real thug would've shot Sean Taylor in the chest and would've murdered or kidnapped his girlfriend and child. These kids aren't real thugs. These are kids easily influenced by rap music and movies. They want to be Tony Montana. If someone came in my house with a weapon and shot me in the leg after I looked them in their face I still wouldn't think they were a thug. Everyone who carries a gun is not a thug or a gangsta. I'm not defending these kids by any means. They're idiots.

Upbringing and surroundings does have a lot to do with the way a person is raised. Parents or a parent can only do so much. To some kids the only teacher they know is entertainment preferably rap music. Rap music has so much influence on the world to do that a parent can lose a battle to it. Not sure where these kids are from but if they group in Dade County than when they step out of their house they see drug dealing and killings right in front of their eyes. You send one kid to Compton and another one to Beverly Hills and which one do you think has the potential to be a murderer?

[SaltwaterChaffy]

RAP MUSIC DOES NOT MAKE PEOPLE INTO KILLERS

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

No they're not thugs. They're guys that want to be thugs. I see them all the time. A real thug would've shot Sean Taylor in the chest and would've murdered or kidnapped his girlfriend and child. These kids aren't real thugs. These are kids easily influenced by rap music and movies. They want to be Tony Montana. If someone came in my house with a weapon and shot me in the leg after I looked them in their face I still wouldn't think they were a thug. Everyone who carries a gun is not a thug or a gangsta. I'm not defending these kids by any means. They're idiots.

Upbringing and surroundings does have a lot to do with the way a person is raised. Parents or a parent can only do so much. To some kids the only teacher they know is entertainment preferably rap music. Rap music has so much influence on the world to do that a parent can lose a battle to it. Not sure where these kids are from but if they group in Dade County than when they step out of their house they see drug dealing and killings right in front of their eyes. You send one kid to Compton and another one to Beverly Hills and which one do you think has the potential to be a murderer?

Insert famous line from Billy Madison.

[MavsX]

it's nice to see everyone in the league wearing the 21 on their helmets. I wonder how long they are going to do that for.

[Jack.Kerr]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

If someone came in my house with a weapon and shot me in the leg after I looked them in their face I still wouldn't think they were a thug.

Darwin rules.

[SaltwaterChaffy]

Originally Posted by MavsX

it's nice to see everyone in the league wearing the 21 on their helmets. I wonder how long they are going to do that for.

Pretty sure all teams only did it for the first week after. There were a handful of teams that didn't have it this week.

[Dtownsfinest]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterChaffy

RAP MUSIC DOES NOT MAKE PEOPLE INTO KILLERS

I NEVER SAID IT DID.

[mcsluggo]

Look, this whole ordeal just sucks for all involved, and not to get into grandois puffery, but it offers a little a commentary on the state of our civilization. You don't have to advocate for lower sentences for these kids to feel sick about the situation they've gotten themselves into at such a young age. I thank god that there wasn't any truly shit-awful element at my high school when I was that age... because I was an idiot. I hung out with all of the worst my school could offer, but fortunately the worst were just other idiot pot-smoking slackers. I really do think there is a chance that I would've had the combo of --little enough brains/ and little enough courage to put my foot down as my friends were moving in a clearly even more stupid direction --- where I could've gotten myself into a similar situation if I was raised in an environment where this sorta shit happens.

THese kids are going to go away for a long time, to a place where they really WILL likely be irrevokably transformed into the sort of truely hardened wastes of human tissue that at this point most of them are probably just emulating or are too stupid/weak to avoid at their young age. As I said, you don't have to think they should receive lenient sentences (I don't) to feel bad about their situation.

[horse900703]

Love u sean~~~