Gators' Matt Patchan shot in Tampa, recovering

Gators' Matt Patchan shot in Tampa, recovering University of Florida defensive lineman Matt Patchan is doing "fine" after being shot in the shoulder at a Tampa area park on Friday. Former Armwood All-American lineman Matt Patchan and high school teammate Wesley Skiffington were both shot Friday night at Sadie Park in Brandon, Fla. "I don't know what he was doing there or why they were there. I don't know all the details. I just know he went to the Brandon hospital. They left [the bullet] in. It's not serious. It's in the soft tissue," Patchan's high school coach, Sean Callahan, told the media. Gators' coach Urban Meyer issued a statement on Monday saying that Matt Patchan is expected to fully recover after the shooting. Patchan enrolled early at Florida in January after graduating from Armwood high school. He was initially recruited as an offensive lineman, but was moved to the defensive line during spring practice.

The shooting marks the second serious incident for the Gators in a week. Last Friday, the University of Florida dismissed Jamar Hornsby after it was revealed that he had used the credit card of a dead Florida student named Ashley Slonina. She was killed in a motorcycle crash in 2007 along with the driver of the motorcycle, who was Florida defensive back Michael Guillford. According to police, Hornsby used Slonina's credit card over 70 times after her death, raking up over $3,000 in charges. The Gators remain with the excellent odds 6/1 to win the 2009 BCS National Championship at the online bookmaker BodogSports.

Published on 05/12/2008