Jaguars player shot, faces life-threatening injuries
By RAND MIRANDA
The Times-Union
A Jacksonville Jaguars player is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries following a shooting early this morning.
Richard Collier, 26, an offensive tackle in his third year with the Jaguars, was shot about 2:45 a.m. while sitting in a vehicle parked in the 2300 block of Riverside Avenue, said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson.
Jefferson said Collier and former Jaguars player Kenneth Pettway had been out clubbing in the San Marco area when they met two women. The two men followed the women to Riverside near St. Vincent’s Medical Center, police said, with the plan to drop the females’ vehicle off and continue socializing in one vehicle.
While waiting outside the Riverside apartment, Jefferson said, someone walked up to the Cadillac Escalade and fired off a number of shots striking Collier, who was behind the wheel. Pettway was not injured in the attack.
Jefferson said it was unknown if there was one or multiple assailants. Authorities said they did not know of a motive for the shooting.
Jefferson said the two women “appeared shocked” by the shooting. He said authorities did not know if the two men were involved in any altercation or incident earlier in the night or if the shooting was random and not connected to the two players personally.
The incident comes after veteran running back Fred Taylor addressed the team about his disorderly conduct charge Friday night when he cursed an officer outside a nightclub. Following several arrests of Jaguars players over the last couple of years, Taylor had recently spoke about the importance of players not partying too much.
Collier is listed by the Jaguars as a 6-foot-7, 345-pound offensive tackle and was expected to play this season on special teams as well as on the offensive line.
Pettway, a backup defensive end, was released by the Jaguars on Saturday after several seasons with the team.
In November 2007, Collier was arrested by Jacksonville police for driving under the influence. He was suspended by the team for two games but signed a contract extension in May.
Collier, a Louisiana native, was undrafted out of Valdosta State and made the team as a rookie in 2006.
Police said Jaguars officials have been contacted but have not released a statement yet. As of 7:10 a.m., a nursing supervisor at Shands Jacksonville said there was no update on Collier’s condition.
Traffic along the 2300 block of Riverside was blocked off for several hours but police said as of 5 a.m., they are allowing traffic to pass through but are continuing to investigate the incident.
LINK
http://news.jacksonville.com/justin/...ning-injuries/
Jaguars player shot, faces life-threatening injuries
Jaguars player shot, faces life-threatening injuries
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