Former Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy was shot in the leg while visiting his grandmother in Southern California over the weekend. He has returned to Washington state and is recovering. Roy was a bystander in the incident, but his heroic actions ensured a horrible situation didn’t get much worse.
Brandon Roy shot in the leg after shielding children from gunfire
Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
USA Today reports that the shooting was a random act of violence, and that Roy quickly reacted to the shooting by shielding children in front of the home — which resulted in him being shot in the leg. The Trail Blazers released the following statement on the incident.
“Like many others, we’re just learning of the injury suffered by former Trail Blazers player Brandon Roy in a shooting over the weekend in California. According to those reports, Brandon was wounded as a bystander, but is expected to recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with Brandon and his family during this time.”
There has been no arrest in connection with the shooting at this time, but it’s clear from Roy’s actions that by shielding the children with his body at least one bullet was stopped from potentially doing far more damage.
Roy enjoyed an impressive career in Portland, averaging 18.8 points per game over a six-year tenure. He was named 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year and a three-time NBA All-Star before knee injuries cut his career short.
Roy is currently the coach of Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Wash.
