Broncos cornerback shot dead

Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in downtown Denver early Monday morning, police said.

Team spokesman Jim Saccomano said police called him about 3 a.m. local time from the scene of the shooting and told him three people had been shot and that Williams had been killed.

Saccomano said he spoke with coach Mike Shanahan and others in the organization.

"Complete shock. We're speechless. It takes words away. A terrible tragedy," Saccomano said.

Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said that a little after 2 a.m., the white Hummer limousine that Williams and two others were traveling in was sprayed with bullets from a vehicle that came up along its side. All three people in the limousine were hit. They were taken to area hospitals, where Williams was pronounced dead.

The other victims, a male and a female, were not identified.

Hours before the shooting, the Broncos lost to San Francisco 26-23 in overtime, preventing them from reaching the playoffs.

Williams, a second-round pick (56th overall) in the 2005 draft out of Oklahoma State, started nine games as a rookie due to injuries.

Williams, who majored in education and lives in Fort Worth, Dallas, made a solid impact during his rookie campaign by playing 12 regular-season games (9 starts) and ranking eighth on the club with 58 tackles (52 solo) while adding one sack (8 yds.), 12 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

An All-Rookie selection by Pro Football Weekly/PFWA and NFL.com, Williams' two interceptions (108 yds.) tied for third on the Broncos, and he returned one of his interceptions for an 80-yard touchdown (at Oakland) that was the longest interception return by a rookie in team history and tied for the second longest overall in regular-season play.

His 108 yards on two interception returns were the second most by a Broncos rookie in franchise annals and the most since Nemiah Wilson's 118 return yards in 1965.

His nine starts were the most by a Denver rookie at that position since 1975 (Louis Wright's 11) and ranked as the seventh-highest total since the team tracked starts beginning in 1968.

This season, he took over as the starter from Lenny Walls, playing alongside Champ Bailey, and was second on the team with four interceptions and tied for third with 86 tackles.

On Sunday against the 49ers, he had a sack and a forced fumble. This season he led the team with seven sacks.

Jackson said police were searching for the suspects and interviewing witnesses.