Robbie Tolan, son of former major league outfielder Bobby Tolan, was shot by police outside his on December 31st at 2:00 AM. Robbie and his cousin had just arrived home from a late night run to Jack-in-the-Box fast food restaurant (another reason not to eat at Jack-in-the-Box) when an unidentified man with a flashlight approached them. Turns out he was a police officer, who suspected Tolan of stealing an SUV (it was his SUV, not stolen), told Tolan & his cousin to stop, ordered them on the ground, at gunpoint. At this juncture Tolan’s mother came out of their house to see what all the commotion was about, an officer pushed her against the wall. When Robbie raised up to see what was happening to his mother, an officer shot him, the bullet piercing his lung, and lodging in his liver. The incident happened in Belleaire, a prominent, mostly white suburb of Houston. The officer involved in the shooting is white, this is a case of racial profiling, at its worst. Tolan remains hospitalized in alot of pain.
Robbie Tolan, 23 years old, was with the Washington Nationals organization in 2007 (rookie league & Class A) where he batted .207 with one home run, as a reserve outfielder. He was released after spring training 2008, and played with the Bay Area Toros of the independent Continental Baseball League. While Tolan is expected to recover, his baseball career is over.