Seattle Seahawks fans...anyboyd hear what happned to Ken Hamlin.. [Archive]

GoCougarsWSU

10-18-2005, 09:55 AM

Hamlin brawl may be linked to Seward Park murder

09:48 AM PDT on Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Associated Press and KING5.com

KIRKLAND, Wash. - Seattle Seahawks safety Ken Hamlin was in serious but stable condition Tuesday with a fractured skull and other head injuries following a fight outside a downtown Seattle nightclub.
Video Clip

Seahawks' coach Mike Holmgren on warning players

Players react to Hamlin fight

Jim Forman with details on the fight

Greg Bailey with reaction from Seahawks headquarters

Raw surveillance video narrated by bar owner
More ... Custom Video

KING 5 learned late Monday that Seattle Police are now looking into a possible link between the brawl and a murder that happened about 3 hours later.

While the police and Hamlin's friends say the assault was unprovoked, employees at Larry's Nightclub say their surveillance video tells a different story. They say Hamlin was the aggressor during part of the altercation.

Late Monday night, KING 5 News learned that one of those suspects might be dead.

Just hours after the Pioneer Square brawl, a jogger found a man's body in Seattle's Seward Park neighborhood.

Monday night, the brother of that murder victim called KING 5 saying his brother was involved in the altercation with Hamlin only a few hours earlier, but he has no idea what happened between the time the fight ended and when his brother was found dead.

Hamlin's injuries

Hamlin's injuries included a small blood clot and bruising of the brain tissue. He was to remain in intensive care for the next day or two, team physician Stan Herring said.

"Right now, Ken is awake intermittently and talking to us," Herring said. "There is no evidence of brain damage, in that regard. We are going to need more time to see if there is residual problems from bruising of his brain."

He said the most pressing concern is whether the blood clot grows.

The Seahawks' starting free safety was involved in an altercation with two men who were not in custody, police said.

KING

The nighclub's owner where the brawl happened said his security guards kept Hamlin separated from the two men outside for about 15 minutes as the bar was emptying at closing time. The owner said the guards tried to restrain Hamlin "five, six or eight times."

According to a police report, Hamlin and his girlfriend were leaving Larry's Nightclub in the Pioneer Square section of Seattle at about 2 a.m. Monday, several hours after the Seahawks defeated the Houston Texans on Sunday night.

The girlfriend told officers that Hamlin placed his hand on another man's back and said, "Excuse me."

The man told Hamlin to stop pushing, and the two men began shoving each other.

According to the report, Hamlin then punched the man in the face; Herring said Hamlin has a fractured right hand. Another man struck Hamlin with his forearm, knocking him down, before the two men began fighting with other men nearby. Other witnesses told police one of the men hit Hamlin twice in the torso with some sort of magnetic street sign.

Not in custody

Witnesses provided the names of two men to police but they were not in custody, police spokeswoman Debra Brown said Monday.

"At this point we have two suspects that are outstanding and we are continuing our investigation," Seattle police Officer Deanna Nollette told reporters. "... Our hope is that we'll identify and arrest the suspects."

The club's owner, Larry Culp, said his security guards kept Hamlin separated from the two men outside for about 15 minutes as the bar was emptying at closing time. Culp said the guards tried to restrain Hamlin "five, six or eight times. The other guy started to back down, and as soon as the head of my security team turned his head, (Hamlin) went after him.

"He had plenty of chances to walk away from this incident," Culp said, adding Hamlin "went out of his way" to provoke a fight.

Culp released security videotape showing Hamlin breaking free from club security guards after the initial altercation subsided.

Police found Hamlin lying in an intersection outside the club a few blocks north of Qwest Field, surrounded by a crowd of people.

Hamlin told officers he was in a lot of pain, and when asked what happened, he said, "I don't remember."

The report said Hamlin did not appear intoxicated.

"The only difficulty I have with this is, it's such a waste," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "It seems rather pointless.

It's not like you are playing a football game and all of a sudden you get hit and you get injured. "It's one of those things that shouldn't have happened."

Holmgren talked to his team about it in an afternoon meeting.

The NFC West-leading Seahawks then said a team prayer for Hamlin.

"It's pretty tough," said cornerback Marcus Trufant. "I'm very concerned about his health and I'm just hoping and praying that everything goes well."

"I think most of us are just really worried for him," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "You realize that the choices you make are important and there are consequences to some decisions - and that off-the-field issues are very important."

Holmgren said Marquand Manuel, a fourth-year veteran from Florida, will replace Hamlin and make his first career start Sunday against Dallas.

Hamlin, a third-year veteran from Arkansas, had five tackles in Seattle's 42-10 win.