TERRYTOWN, La. – Former NFL player Joe McKnight was killed in an apparent road rage shooting in his home state of Louisiana Thursday afternoon, according to WGNO.
Jefferson Parish deputies responded to a homicide in Terrytown about 2:30 p.m., at the intersection of Behrman Highway and Holmes Boulevard, police said.
Warning: Video contains graphic content
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said 28-year-old Joe McKnight, was lying on the ground. Officers immediately gave CPR to McKnight, but he died of his injuries. McKnight was standing outside of his vehicle when he was shot, police said.
McKnight is a native of Kenner, Louisiana, and a former John Curtis High School football standout who played for the University of Southern California, the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The alleged shooter, 54-year-old Ronald Gasser, stayed on the scene and gave his weapon to officers at the scene, Normand said. Gasser is in custody and is currently being questioned.
Normand said Gasser’s vehicle and McKnight’s vehicle were stopped side-by-side at the intersection.
“The only thing we know at this time … because everything else would be conjecture … is that Mr. Gasser did, in fact, shoot Mr. McKnight. We will be releasing additional details as we get through these interviews with these witnesses, as well as Mr. Gasser,” Normand said.
Normand said McKnight did not have a gun on him or outside of the vehicle, but he said deputies haven’t searched McKnight’s vehicle or Gasser’s vehicle. They are waiting on a search warrant.
This is the second time this year that a former NFL player has been shot and killed in the New Orleans area because of a road rage incident. Trial is set to start Monday for Cardell Hayes, who’s accused of shooting and killing former New Orleans Saint Will Smith and shooting and injuring his wife in the Garden District in April after a traffic crash and subsequent altercation.
