Former Strikeforce player Lumumba Sayers has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man to avenge the death of his son, Denver 7 reports.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by the network, Sayers was arrested Saturday after he walked up to a man at a child’s birthday party at Pioneer Park in Commerce City, Colorado, and shot him in the head. The victim was identified as Malcolm Watson and is believed to be a friend of the man who allegedly killed Sayers’ son last year. Witnesses said Sayers walked back to the man’s body and tried to shoot him again, but the gun “jammed.” Witnesses also claim Sayers removed a set of keys from Watson’s pocket and tried to place the gun near the body.
Tyrell Braxton was reportedly arrested for his role in Sayers’ son’s death, but the murder charge was later dropped. The nature of Watson’s relationship with Braxton was not disclosed in the arrest affidavit.
“The murder was likely retaliation or revenge,” the witness stated in the affidavit.
Sayers and his son, Lumumba Sayers Jr., were both anti-gun control activists who worked to end violence in their communities. Sayers opened a boxing gym in Aurora, Colorado, called Heavy Hands, Heavy Hearts. A source said to be a community leader told Denver 7 that Sayers remains “in a dark mood” after his son’s death.
Sayers compiled a 6-5 record as a professional mixed martial artist from 2009 to 2014. He went 2-2 under the Strikeforce banner, facing the likes of Derek Brunson, Scott Smith and Anthony Smith during his time with the company, and most recently competed under the BKFC banner in May of this year, winning by first round stoppage over Jeremy Morrison.
