Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in downtown Denver, Colorado, early yesterday morning.
Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 3am from the scene of the shooting and told him three people had been shot and that Williams had been killed.
A little after 2am, a white Hummer limousine was sprayed with bullets from a vehicle that pulled up along its side, said Sonny Jackson, spokesperson for the Denver Police Department.
Three shot
Three people in the limousine were hit and were taken to area hospitals, where one man was pronounced dead, Jackson said. The other man and woman who were shot were not identified.
Jackson said police were searching for the suspects and interviewing witnesses.
"We have no motive yet," Jackson said. "We're hoping to talk with witnesses to find out where they were coming from, and that might give us some clues."
Saccomano said he spoke with coach Mike Shanahan and others in the organization.
"Complete shock. We're speechless. It takes words away. A terrible tragedy," Saccomano said.
Hours before the shooting, the Broncos lost to San Francisco 26-23 in overtime, eliminating them from the playoff race.
Williams, 24, finished the season with 88 tackles, 78 of them solo, and four interceptions.
Last game
On Sunday against the 49ers, he had three tackles and returned two punts for 50 yards before leaving the game with a shoulder injury late in the second half.
Williams, a second-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State in 2005, made an immediate impact on the Broncos, starting nine times in his rookie season following a stellar career at Oklahoma State, where he totaled 11 interceptions and scored three touchdowns on punt returns.
Players and coaches had yesterday off. They were scheduled to meet today before heading home for the offseason.
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