Joe McKnight, who spent his NFL career as a running back with the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs, was shot and killed in Terrytown, Louisiana, on Thursday afternoon, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff, Newell Normand, confirmed. The shooter is in police custody.
Joe McKnight killed in Louisiana shooting
McKnight was shot and killed Thursday afternoon.
Photo by NFL via Getty Images
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
According to police, the shooting was the result of a road rage incident. McKnight was 28 years old.
A witness at the scene said she observed a man yelling at McKnight in an intersection while McKnight attempted to apologize, according to Jonathan Bullington of NOLA.com.
The witness said the man shot McKnight, then stood over him and said, “I told you, don’t you f--- with me.” The man then shot McKnight again.
Ronald Gasser, 54, was taken into custody at the scene, but released overnight without being charged, according to NOLA.com. Gasser was identified as the shooter Thursday, and reportedly stayed at the scene and turned his gun over to officers.
On Tuesday, Gasser was reportedly jailed on a count of manslaughter, according to the New Orleans Advocate.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. ET, and McKnight was pronounced dead at the scene.
McKnight spent his college career at USC, and he was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
Pete Carroll, who was McKnight’s coach at USC, paid tribute to his former player:
McKinght spent the 2013 season out of the NFL and signed with the Chiefs prior to the 2014 season, but tore his Achilles during practice in late September and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.
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