Former NFL player Joe McKnight was shot and killed in an apparent road rage incident in his home state of Louisiana Thursday afternoon.
54-year old Ronald Gasser was identified as the shooter. He and McKnight’s vehicle were stopped side-by-side at an intersection. The two men reportedly got into an argument. A witness told The Times-Picayune that she saw a man yelling at another man, who was trying to apologize. McKnight was shot multiple times. The witness added that the shooter shot McKnight, stood over him and said, “I told you don’t f–k with me.” Then he fired again.
“At approximately 2:43 p.m. today we received a call of a shooting that occurred here at Holmes and Behrman Highway,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said. “Our officers arrived on the scene and immediately began giving CPR to an individual who was shot, lying on the ground, with EMS and others assisting at this location.”
McKnight died of his wounds; he was just 28-years old. Normand says Gasser stayed at the scene and gave his gun to responding officers. Gasser was taken into custody and is being questioned. Sheriff’s spokesman Col. John Fortunato says they’re anticipating charging Gasser but it’s unclear with what.
McKnight is a native of Kenner, Louisiana, and a former John Curtis High School football standout. He played for the University of Southern California, the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs.
McKnight is the second NFL player this year to die as a result of a possible road-rage incident. Trial is set to begin Monday for Cardell Hayes, who’s accused of shooting and killing former New Orleans Saint Will Smith, as well as shooting and injuring his wife in the Garden District in April after a traffic crash and subsequent altercation.
