Hampton U. basketball captain critically injured in shooting
TIMES-DISPATCH
Hampton’s Theo Smalling (left) defends against VCU in a 2006 game.
Published: October 26, 2009
HAMPTON — Theo Smalling, a forward and captain on Hampton University’s basketball team, is in critical condition after being accidentally shot, officials said.
Smalling, 22, from Tampa, Fla., was shot just after midnight Saturday morning.
“Theo is a wonderful young man and the leader of his team,“ said Buck Joyner, Hampton coach. “Please continue to pray for him, his family and the team. He is a strong young man and fighting for his life. It is unfortunate that this has happened to such a great young man.”
Police spokeswoman Paula Ensley says the starting forward and captain was in a parking lot with Dominique Devon Smith, 21, when Smith mishandled a gun and accidentally shot Smalling.
Smith has been charged with reckless handling of a firearm.
“Theo Smalling is the epitome of a student athlete who leads by example. Everyone who knows him knows about his compassion for life, his love of the game of basketball and his loyalty and devotion to Hampton University,“ said Athletic Director Lonza Hardy Jr.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
justanole, I agree that “the right of gun ownership comes with the responsibility of handling it properly, much like handling your car or your liquor”.
In fact, I couldn’t agree more. I just don’t believe we should ban ALL people from owning cars just because someone was driving drunk and didn’t handle their car or liquor.
dubiousthoughts, my position still stands…if you don’t want to own a gun, then don’t get one. DUH!!!
But I’m interested in what you said in an earlier post, “I don’t live in your hypocritical, hateful, and ignorant world filled with fear. I have a higher standard and expectation of society.“
Now you’re saying that people, “...are arming themselves to the gills straight out of the Timothy McVeigh mold.“
Make up your mind, will ya? Sounds like it is you who “live in fear”. Sounds like you’re scared to death of anyone who wants to buy a gun. Actually, I think you suffer from paranoia, not fear. Chill out man. No one is going to come “gunnin” for you. And if they do, you can always call the police, the military, or your social worker to protect you.
Echoing Dubious…. How DO you people get so far from the content of an article?
The right of gun ownership comes with the responsibility of handling it properly, much like handling your car or your liquor. Make poor choices, and there are life altering - or ending - consequences.
I have a child that age and cannot even imagine the grief. My heartfelt condolences to this young man’s family.
Another SENSELESS death due to the fact that someone had a gun showing it off and did not know how to handle it. Now someone is dead. If you own a firearm, you should at least have to have a training course that is mandatory before you get one.
Additionally, who did someone need a gun at a nightclub? If this was that type of place, why was a student there? Just like Plazico Burress. If you are going to a place where you think violence is going to occur, stay home!
DandyAndy - People who actually believe Obama is not a citizen, is a racist, a socialist, and believe in “the coming collapse of America” to totalitarian rule—and are arming themselves to the gills are straight out of the Timothy McVeigh mold. So yes, I am more afraid of them than some street punk. Some on this forum fit that description to a tee.
dubiousthoughts, “DandyAndy-I don’t live in your hypocritical, hateful, and ignorant world filled with fear.“
Hello Kettle. I’m Pot. You’re black.
You want to talk about “hypocrisy” and “hate”? Have you already forgotten your post where you said you don’t believe in owning a gun but might reconsider because of people like ProudAmerican? You people are so easy to see through. Anytime your petty arguments cannot withstand any type of challenge or scrutiny, you can always be counted on to play the race care or accuse your opponent of “hate”.
I understand that you don’t live in my world so I have only one question….what color is the sky in YOUR world?
At any rate, I stand by my statement that I hope you never own a gun. It’s people like you who give gun owners a bad name.
lol wow lmao, i can just amazed at all of these comments….and most of them aren’t even directly about the article lol….it is sad that this unfortunate incident happened to this young man, i hope that he gets a speedy recovery and is able to resume his career as a student/athlete..
DandyAndy - so you’re trying to tell me people aren’t getting shot because a person “thinks” he or she is being threatened? Again, I’m not talking about what the law says, I’m talking about what’s actually happening in real life.
Nobody gets shot for just being on somebody else’s property. Never happens, right? Nobody gets shot for sleeping with somebody’s wife or girlfriend. Nobody gets shot in the heat of a family argument, right? Nobody gets shot because their manhood was challenged at a club and he now has be prove how bad he is. Because the law says you can’t do it means it doesn’t happen?
And no, more laws or fewer laws aren’t going to have much impact. Fewer guns in circulation will. Certainly more guns in circulation aren’t going to make us safer.
Gun Shows were started with gun enthusiasts (private owners) to trade and sell, not only guns, but knifes and other items. Licensed dealers were barred from trading or selling at these shows. The FOPA that passed in 1986 allowed these dealers to set up booths at gun shows. They had to follow the FFL law if they were selling NEW guns. Private citizens bought, sold and traded antique and used guns. In other words not all sales at gun shows are through licensed dealers, it is a mixed clientele.
And I stand corrected as well. I did not realize that history on gun shows. I’m just accustomed to the current ones that come to Richmond. But you are correct, they do get casted in a negative light unfortunately, by the media and the anti-gun propaganda.
Eitherway, I’m all for background checks, as much as I support gun rights. This to me, is ok. I’ve seen it work. I was at a gun store and watched VA State Police arrest a guy because his background check wasn’t clean. So the system does work. And what we need to do, like you and others have said, is work on enforcing existing laws, instead of taking people’s rights away and catering to the anti gun extremists by creating new useless laws. There’s only so much you can do to prevent a crime. At some point, there’s nothing more to do and the crimes will be committed anyway. If a crazy person is intent on killing a bunch of people and he doesn’t have a gun, what’s to say he won’t make a bomb, or drive over them with a car. The possibilities are endless, so taking away my right to defend myself creates one more victim, and does nothing to create one LESS criminal.
DandyAndy-
I don’t live in your hypocritical, hateful, and ignorant world filled with fear. I have a higher standard and expectation of society. I suggest you move from the trailer park or “the county” and find out that the world is a more diverse and beautiful place.
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement