Former Strikeforce fighter and up to date BKFC Prospect Collection athlete Lumumba Sayers Sr. has been arrested for homicide after allegedly killing a person to avenge the loss of life of his son.
Sayers Sr., a combined martial arts veteran of 11 skilled fights who glided by the moniker “Heavy Palms,” is accused of capturing a person within the head after displaying up at a baby’s party this previous Saturday, in response to an arrest affidavit (h/t Denver7).
The sufferer of the incident, which happened at Pioneer Park in Commerce Metropolis, Colorado, was recognized as Malcolm Watson, who’s believed to be linked to the person initially accused of murdering Sayers Sr.’s son in 2023.
Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was additionally a budding MMA fighter, was amongst two killed in a capturing in Denver’s 5 Factors neighborhood final August. Tyrell Braxton was arrested the next month and charged with homicide, earlier than the case towards him was subsequently dismissed.
The tragic killing noticed Sayers Jr. turn into the sufferer of the precise violence he strived to struggle towards, with each him and his father serving as anti-gun violence activists.
Sayers Sr., who returned to fight sports activities this 12 months with a 12-second knockout win on the BKFC Prospect Collection, began the Heavy Palms Heavy Hearts boxing gymnasium in Aurora. The power works to assist younger individuals keep away from gun violence.
Sayers Jr., in the meantime, was stated to have been a pacesetter in Denver’s “Gloves Up, Weapons Down” program, along with his involvement along with his father’s gymnasium.
Tragically, whereas the 23-year-old was the sufferer of such violence, his father is now accused of finishing up the same act in retaliation.
MMA Veteran Lumumba Sayers Sr. Accused Of Capturing Sufferer In The Head Throughout Youngster’s Birthday Get together
Per the arrest affidavit, the alleged sufferer of this previous weekend’s capturing was at a birthday half on the Pioneer Park waterpark, the place a witness claimed to have seen Sayers Sr. “stroll up and shoot the sufferer within the head at shut vary.” One other individual current informed police the previous fighter had “killed her child’s daddy on the newborn’s birthday.”
Police had been additionally informed that Sayers Sr. had tried to shoot Watson’s physique with a second firearm, which had jammed.
One witness prompt the “homicide was most likely in retaliation or revenge” for the loss of life or Sayers Sr.’s son. Whereas the alleged relationship between Watson and Braxton, the person initially accused of killing Lumumba Jr., will not be detailed within the affidavit, a connection between the 2 murders is implied.
Two days on from Watson’s loss of life, Denver7 spoke to group chief Topazz McBride, proprietor of the Rediscovery By means of Wellness heart in Aurora. She spoke about Sayers Sr.’s struggles since his son’s homicide and mentioned what wants to return subsequent for her group.
“When an individual goes by means of one thing like this, they want ongoing assist the grief course of, the mourning doesn’t go away,” McBride stated. “Individuals have their very own lives, and so individuals start to maneuver again to their very own sense of normalcy, which didn’t essentially occur with Lumumba. … He was so near his son, he grieved another way due to how he’s been accessible to group and to different households who’ve misplaced kids to gun violence.
“What’s subsequent is about sustaining peace, but additionally ensuring that we’re taking good care of those that can’t handle themselves as a result of now they’re devastated and prayer for the hearts of everybody that hearts don’t get hardened because of this,” McBride added.
Throughout his MMA profession, Lumumba Sayers Sr. confronted notable names like ex-UFC title challenger Anthony Smith and longtime middleweight contender Derek Brunson, preventing the previous on the undercard of Ronda Rousey’s Strikeforce title struggle towards Sarah Kaufman in 2012.
