Bi-Polar Center

ESPN.com - Wife: Robbins has punctured lung, hole in heart

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins will be charged with trespassing and battery on a police officer after being shot and wounded during a struggle with a detective investigating a burglary at a South Beach office building.

Robbins, a former Pro Bowl center whose decline began with him going AWOL during the 2003 Super Bowl, remained in critical but stable condition Monday. Miami Beach Police consider him under arrest.

In a statement to ESPN, Marisa Robbins, Barret Robbins' wife, said: "Barret was shot in the chest. There was a hole in his heart that was surgically repaired. A bullet ripped through and punctured his lung. He remains in critical condition and in intensive care in Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

"Because there is an open police investigation, I can't comment further other than to send thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. All other information will be released through Drew Pittman, Barret's friend and former agent," she said.

Robbins was shot several times in the torso during a "violent struggle" with a Miami Beach detective Saturday night, police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said.

"The officer was literally fighting for his life, trying to get Mr. Robbins from getting his gun. That's when the shots rang out," Hernandez said.

Robbins, 31, was confronted in a second-floor office in a building that also houses a nightclub, gym and jewelry store. He was considered a burglary suspect, though no charges had been filed, Hernandez said.

"We just have to figure out what he was doing there," Hernandez said.

Hernandez said that authorities had not been able to interview Robbins but that the former offensive lineman was expected to face a charge of battery on a police officer. Hernandez also said police were trying to determine whether Robbins would face trespassing or burglary charges.

Detective Mike Muley, who fired the shots, had minor head injuries from the scuffle and was treated at a hospital and released.

Robbins was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Hernandez did not immediately have Robbins' condition Sunday, and a hospital official did not immediately return a page.

“ Barret was shot in the chest. There was a hole in his heart that was surgically repaired. A bullet ripped through and punctured his lung. ”
— Wife Marisa Robbins

Pittman told the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday evening that Robbins was in critical but stable condition.

Former teammates expressed shock that Robbins and trouble have crossed paths again.

"I don't know what to say about it. I just can't believe it," former Raiders tackle Lincoln Kennedy, a starter with Robbins on Oakland's 2003 AFC champion team, told the Chronicle. "I talked to him maybe two weeks ago. But he changed his number since then."

"I knew he was having problems," Raiders guard Frank Middleton told the newspaper. "But for him to go down so far, so fast, that's really sad."

Others came to Robbins' defense. Running back Tyrone Wheatley wants to learn more details about what happened.


"You really never know what the exact particulars are," Wheatley said Monday, noting Robbins' other problems shouldn't be part of what took place Saturday. "This is an isolated incident. The previous things don't have anything to do with it. That's what turns my stomach. We don't know that the cop in Miami did the right procedures. You never know."

The often-troubled player was arrested on Christmas Eve in San Francisco for hitting a security guard at a nightclub. He is best remembered for disappearing the night before Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego. He spent Super Bowl Sunday in a hospital and later acknowledged that he had stopped taking his medicine for depression and bipolar disorder. The Raiders lost 48-21 to Tampa Bay.

"Like anyone with bipolar disorder, there are good days and there are bad days," Pittman told the Chronicle. "Unfortunately, there's no way of predicting what you'll get. That's the problem with this condition, especially for someone who will not stay on their medication.

"The only reason this is news is because this guy used to play in the NFL," Pittman said. "It's a tragic story, but how much more tragic is it than the poor guy who also has bipolar disorder and is living under a bridge and having the same types of problems?"

Robbins was released by Oakland in July, a week after he and two other players were fined three game checks for testing positive for the steroid THG. He has been linked to the BALCO steroid scandal.

Robbins played all nine of his pro seasons with Oakland, and he made the Pro Bowl after the 2002 season but did not play in the game. A year after missing the final 14 games of 2001 with an injured right knee, he was a pivotal part of an offensive line that helped the Raiders produce the league's top offense.

People close to Robbins had no explanation why he was in Miami on Saturday. Robbins is separated from his wife, has not remained in close contact with friends and family members, has been racked by pain from his chronically injured knee and is struggling to keep his weight from approaching 400 pounds, according to the Chronicle.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Barret and his family and we hope he makes a full and speedy recovery," the Raiders said in a release.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.