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An earlier version of this story stated that keys had been stolen, based on information from a police report. DC police later clarified that no property was stolen. This version has been corrected.
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. “was able to wrest a firearm away” from one of the two male attackers who attempted to rob him Sunday before the other shot him twice, DC police said Monday.
The couple reached out to Robinson after he exited a store in the 1000 block of H Street NE just before 6pm. Robinson was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center for treatment of injuries that are believed to be non-life threatening. On Monday, he wrote on Instagram that he had surgery that “went well.”
Trainer Ron Rivera said Monday Robinson is “doing well” and “it will be a matter of time before he’s out here again”. He declined to give a timeline for Robinson’s recovery or to specify the extent of his injuries, but Rivera noted that both Robinson and his doctors were “very positive.”
Authorities have not identified the suspects, who DC Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said are likely 15 to 17 years old. Police described the attackers as having shoulder-length dreadlocks and said one was wearing a black or brown shirt with yellow smiley faces on it. A firearm was recovered about a block south of the shooting.
Prince George’s County Police said the vehicle the two used to flee the scene was recovered Sunday night at the 1500 block of Jutewood Avenue, about four miles from FedEx Field. The car was reported stolen in Prince George’s County on Friday afternoon.
According to the incident report from Sunday’s shooting, Robinson told police he was shot in the leg. Commanders issued a statement Sunday night confirming Robinson was stable and saying his family and a contingent of team officials had come to see him at the hospital. Rivera was among the visitors, along with team owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder, team president Jason Wright, general manager Martin Mayhew, running backs coach Randy Jordan, chief medical officer Anthony Casolaro and Barbara Roberts, director of mental wellbeing and clinical services.
“I’ve had several calls as a head coach, unfortunately, but this one was one of the tougher ones,” Rivera said. “…He really is more than just a football player. He really is a bloody young man.”
The trainer said he was watching a Robinson film when he got the call about the shooting. He told Jordan immediately and the two drove to the hospital together.
Before practice Monday morning, Rivera brought his players together for a team briefing to talk about Robinson and the incident. He urged the players to “do their best” in practice that morning and he was pleased with their performance.
“You never want to experience that,” said defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. “By the grace of God, he is doing well. Not life threatening [injuries], and he will be fine. That is the most important thing at the moment.”
Allen said he heard the news through his brother and then took to social media to see the headlines and additional news about the shooting. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has been something of a mentor to Robinson over the past few months, said he also saw the news on social media and immediately thought if Robinson was okay.
“Once we found out the injuries weren’t life-threatening, I just started praying for him and his recovery, not just physically but spiritually,” McLaurin said. “You can’t really predict it, so situations like this or some of the things that we’ve been through as a team over the last few years seem to have come out of nowhere. It’s hard to predict things like this that will happen. But when it happens, we try to get together. We try to reach those affected. I firmly believe in prayer. So I will continue to pray for these people in these situations.”
Quarterback Carson Wentz heard the news in a group text with his offensive linemen, then reached out to Rivera for more information.
“It caught us all off guard on a bad day yesterday [from team activities]’ Wentz said. “…It’s a wake-up call for everyone. There are real problems in this world but thankfully Brian is doing well I’m told and looking forward to seeing him.”
Rivera said that in conversations with other Commander associates, he could “feel the anger rising” about Robinson’s situation and about gun violence in the United States. He wears a t-shirt that reads “Wear Orange” to support the gun violence prevention movement.
“What we have seen in this and other cases is just wanton use of a firearm that injures someone,” DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said Monday.
The Commanders’ primary focus now is the health of their running back, who they picked in the third round of this year’s draft after he starred in Alabama. Robinson finished his collegiate career ranked 10th in Crimson Tide history in rushing touchdowns (29) and 11th in rushing yards (2,704). He impressed with Washington in the offseason and was well on his way to earning a significant role on his offense.
Rivera said the commanders expect to receive an update on Robinson’s health and from there discuss the best way forward for the player and the team. It’s possible Washington will put him on the non-football injury list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games of the season but allow him to play later in his rookie year if health allows .
“Life is tough. It really is,” McLaurin said. “In our position where … we’re playing a no-brainer but getting a lot of money [and have] Lots of eyes and attention on us, people kind of forget that sometimes we’re still human and things affect us on and off the field.
He added, “We go through a lot of adversity and as a leader, I try to put myself in a position to make myself available to help in any way I can.”
Lauren Lumpkin and Katie Mettler contributed to this report.
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