Minnesota Vikings linebacker Antwione Williams had a simple message for President Trump — don’t use my friend’s death for political purposes.
Williams was a roommate of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson when the two played at Georgia Southern University. According to authorities, Jackson was killed Sunday by a drunken driver who was in the U.S. illegally and had been deported twice.
Mr. Trump tweeted about Jackson’s death Tuesday, calling it “disgraceful” and “one of many such preventable tragedies.” He called on Democrats to “get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!”
Williams said that made him “sick.”
“I kinda disagree with using his death as a political platform,” Williams said in an interview with TMZ. It “just makes me sick to think … that somebody would use someone like that. Such a great person too.”
According to Williams, the fact that suspect Manuel Orrego-Savala is an illegal immigrant from Guatemala did not contribute to his former roommate’s death — his drunkenness did — and “immigration is something [Mr. Trump] is just dragging into this.”
Nevertheless, Williams started the TMZ clip by saying that illegal aliens should receive a broad amnesty so they can get legitimate drivers licenses.
“People are already in the country and we need to go ahead and just nationalize people and quit alienating people and not allowing them to be a legal driver,” he said.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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