Hurricanes DT Bryan Pata Gunned Down

University of Miami defensive tackle Bryan Pata was shot and killed at his apartment complex shortly after leaving practice this evening.

According to preliminary reports, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a call in reference to a woman discovering her boyfriend with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in the hallway of an apartment building.

This marks the fourth tragedy involving a player to strike the Hurricanes in recent years and the second shooting incident in the last 6 months.

Pata, a graduate of Miami Central High School, was in his fourth year with the Hurricanes and was expected to be selected in next spring’s NFL draft. Last month, NFL draft analyst John Murphy said Pata was UM’s only senior who had improved his draft stock and stood as a potential third-round pick.

In talking to friends at Miami, my understanding of Bryan Pata is that he was a good kid who was more interested in providing for his family than getting caught up in a lot of mess. There are a lot of thugs and malcontents in Coral Gables but from all reports thus far, Pata wasn’t one of them. Now, maybe he strayed from the path or maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time but until the details are known, save the indignation and cheap shots. It’s easy to pile on the Canes program and players after a tragedy like this but doing so is both foul and unnecessary.