This previous Monday, whereas leaving his mom’s home in Jacksonville, Fla., UFC bantamweight Roman Taveras narrowly escaped being killed in a drive-by taking pictures. Taveras launched safety video of the terrifying incident to his Instagram account.
“It’s unlucky that I even need to make a submit like this, however I can’t let this be swept beneath the rug,” Taveras wrote on social media.
“Monday, July 29, 2024, at 10:05 pm, a bunch of armed males drove up on me at my mom’s home and tried to take my life. By the grace of God, I made it out with no accidents and was capable of seize my very own firearm and return fireplace in self-defense. This metropolis is unforgiving, and it’s worse that JSO [Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office] does nothing to appropriate the issue. I misplaced my brother in 2019 as a result of gun violence, and his killers are but to be caught. Now I discover myself virtually in the identical scenario.
“JSO did the naked minimal for my brother and is now doing the identical for me. They assumed I used to be focused as a result of “gang violence” or an issue I triggered. I don’t hassle anybody, I keep in my very own lane, I concentrate on my profession and household. Even after explaining this, they continued to insinuate that I used to be concerned in one thing that introduced this final result upon myself.
“No one is ideal, and everybody has a previous. Nevertheless, I’ve modified considerably from who I used to be ten years in the past. For such an incident to happen out of nowhere is alarming. It makes me view my life and household via a completely totally different lens. It is a every day actuality in my metropolis; I’m not the primary, nor will I be the final. I’m bored with remaining silent about my brother’s case, and I refuse to let this incident slide both. Many different households in my metropolis have endured related conditions, crying out for justice simply as my household is.
“My household feels unsafe, and I worry for my kids, who practically misplaced their father the individual striving to vary their lives. It’s tragic that I’ve a lot love for my metropolis, but I’m compelled to go away. I’ll use this example to talk out in opposition to the ineffectiveness of JSO and their disregard for the much less lucky elements of the town. They appear detached as to if lives are misplaced or in danger. I’m sick of it! This might have been a memorial submit; I may have misplaced my life similar to my brother, or someone else may have misplaced theirs making an attempt to take mine. I’m carried out being silent. I ask on your assist in spreading this message so far as we are able to.
“I’m blessed and completely satisfied to be alive, however I’m leaving Duval.”
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Within the video, Taveras could be seen leaving his mom’s home and strolling towards a automobile when a automobile opened fireplace on him from the road. Taveras positioned himself behind the cardboard till the automobile drove away. Taveras drew his firearm and returned pictures.
Taveras made his method to the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Collection. He appeared twice within the promotion. He was defeated by Serhiy Sidey within the first spherical. He was given a second alternative and completed Cortavious Romious in 29 seconds. The win earned him a UFC contract. He made his promotional debut in January and avenged the earlier loss to Sidey. He was slated to face Caolan Loughran at UFC 304 however was pressured out of the bout as a result of damage.
