Former MMA fighter Lumumba Sayers has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, as he was arrested for allegedly killing Malcolm Watson in what authorities believe to be an act of revenge for his son’s death. This shocking turn of events has left many in the MMA community shocked.
According to reports, Sayers believed that Watson was responsible for his son’s death and allegedly sought out revenge by taking matters into his own hands. The details surrounding the incident are still unfolding, but it is clear that Sayers’ actions have shocked and saddened many who knew him in the MMA world.
The Commerce City Police Department says the incident happened at around 5 PM on Saturday during a children’s birthday party at a Commerce City, Colo. park.
According to the arrest affidavit, obtained by Denver7, Sayers is accused of walking up to 28-year-old Malcolm Watson and shooting him in the head. The docs state witnesses told cops Sayers may have thought Watson had been a friend of a man he believed to be somehow involved in the 2023 death of Sayers’ son.
Records show Sayers is currently in an Adams County jail … being held behind bars on a $1 million bond. According to 9News, he was booked on charges of first-degree murder and menacing.
Sayers competed in several fight promotions during his professional career — including Strikeforce, where he lost bouts to Brunson and Anthony Smith.
Sayers’ story serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human emotions and the importance of seeking help and support when facing overwhelming grief and loss. Violent revenge is never the solution!
Lumumba Sayers Jr., who was also an MMA fighter and anti-gun violence advocate, and another man were killed in a quadruple shooting near the intersection of 28th and Welton streets on Aug. 19, 2023.
The suspect in that case at the time, Tyrell Braxton, was arrested a month later and charged with murder. Court records show the murder case has since been dismissed. By law in Colorado, records are sealed when a case is dismissed. Braxton was still facing a federal charge of illegal possession of ammunition, according to court records.
The arrest affidavit does not detail the alleged relationship between Watson and Braxton, but suggests a connection between the two cases.
“This murder was probably in retaliation or revenge” for Sayers Jr.’s death a year ago, according to a witness account cited in the arrest affidavit.
The affidavit describes the series of events that led up to the shooting, which happened around 5 p.m. Saturday, and what transpired after, according to witness accounts.
According to the affidavit, Watson was at a birthday party at the Pioneer Park waterpark. One witness told police she saw Sayers Sr., who was not in attendance at the party, “walk up and shoot the victim in the head at close range.”
Another witness told police Sayers Sr. had “killed her baby’s daddy on the baby’s birthday,” according to the affidavit.
Witnesses also told officers Sayers Sr. went back to Waton’s body and tried to shoot him with a second gun, but that gun “jammed.” Sayers Sr. then took a set of keys from Watson’s pocket before apparently trying to plant a handgun near Watson’s body.
I am sure this case will get a lot of different reactions.
