Comment Washington officers chasing Brian Robinson Jr. “were able to wrestle a firearm away” from one of two men who tried to rob him Sunday before the other suspect shot him twice, D.C. police said Monday in the morning. The men, who were both armed, approached Robinson after he left a storefront in the 1000 block of H Street NE just before 6 p.m. Robinson was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center for treatment of injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. Authorities have not identified the suspects, who D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III said are possibly between 15 and 17 years old. Police described the attackers as having shoulder-length frames, while one was wearing a black or brown shirt with yellow smiley faces. A firearm was found about a block south of the shooting, and police recovered the vehicle the two men used to flee, which they believe was stolen in Prince George’s County on Friday. According to the incident report, Robinson’s keys were stolen and he told police he was shot in the leg. Commanders’ Brian Robinson Jr., shot twice in DC, in stable condition Robinson posted a photo on Instagram Monday with a message acknowledging that the surgery “went well” and saying he appreciated everyone’s prayers. The Governors issued a statement Sunday night, confirming that Robinson was stable and that his family and a group of team officials had joined him at the hospital. Manager Ron Rivera was among those who visited, along with team owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder, team president Jason Wright, general manager Martin Maihue, pitching coach Randy Jordan, chief medical officer Anthony Cazzolaro and director of mental wellness and clinical services Barbara Roberts. Rivera said Monday that Robinson is “doing well” and “it will be a matter of time before he gets back here.” He declined to give a timeline or further details on the extent of Robinson’s injuries or his recovery, but noted that both Robinson and his doctors were “very positive.” “I got a lot of phone calls as a coach, unfortunately, but this was one of the hardest,” Rivera added. “… He’s really more than just a football player. He really is a fine young man.” The coach said he was watching film of Robinson when he got the call about the shooting. He immediately told Jordan, the Washington linebackers coach, and the two drove to the hospital together. Rivera said that, speaking with others on the Commanders’ staff, he could “feel the anger rising” about Robinson’s situation and gun violence in the United States. Before practice Monday morning, Rivera brought his players together in a team meeting to talk about Robinson and the incident. Rivera asked the players to “do their best” in training that morning, and he left pleased with their effort. “You never want to see that happen,” defensive tackle Jonathan Allen said. “By God’s grace, it’s okay. Non-life threatening [injuries], and it will be okay. That’s the most important thing right now.” Wearing a “Wear Orange” T-shirt in support of the gun violence prevention movement, Rivera urged more discussion about gun safety and said it can’t be “a partisan issue.” Brian Robinson Jr. was patient in Alabama. Next: Commanders’ Backfield. “What we’ve seen in this case and others is just a reckless use of a firearm that harms someone,” D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said Monday. The Commanders selected Robinson, 23, in the third round of this year’s draft out of Alabama. He finished his college career with 29 rushing touchdowns (10th in Crimson Tide history) and 2,704 rushing yards (11th). After impressing throughout the offseason with the Commanders, he is expected to play a key role in the team’s offense alongside teammates Antonio Gibson and JD McKissic. The team is expected to get more details on Robinson’s health later Monday and the coaching staff will decide how to proceed. There was talk of placing Robinson on the non-football injury list. This story is developing and will be updated. Lauren Lumpkin contributed to this report.
