Sports

Junior Seau's Loss Felt in Southwest Riverside

The former San Diego Chargers linebacker was a 12 time Pro Bowl selection and an active member of his community.

The news of Charger legend  sent shock waves reaching to southwest Riverside County.

"He was a great great guy," said Temecula resident Bill KirkPartick, who met Seau through mutual friends and hung out with him on several occasions. On some of these occasions, Seau would go jogging with his daughter and several other neighborhood kids, KirkPatrick told Patch. 

"It comes as a surprise to hear of his passing—no matter what the cause," KirkPatrick said, referring to preliminary reports that Seau committed suicide and that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.  

Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

With the area home to many Chargers fans, Seau at one time opened a restaurant in Temecula.

In 2009, Seau's of Temecula, a sister establishment to Seau's The Restaurant in San Diego, opened it doors at 41797 Nicole Lane.

Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to public records, Seau opened the restaurant in May 2009 with business partners Scott Rodi and Ted Davenport. The restaurant was originally a Ruby Tuesday but in April 2010, the name changed to Seau’s of Temecula.

The sports-themed restaurant was owned by Seau but closed in October 2010.

The original San Diego location, a 14,500-square-foot restaurant launched in 1996, remains open.

Some readers expressed their thoughts regarding the news of Seau's death on Murrieta Patch's Facebook page.

"So very sad! He was a legend in SD," said reader Jason Hope. 

"SD native.. not a Chargers fan but I am very sad indeed.. Good guy, gave back to his hometown.. God bless him and his family," said Cristina Bon.

KirkPatrick has doubts anyone would want to hurt him, but can't imagine he would hurt himself. 

"I'm just totally blown away," he said.


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