Former USC Trojans and New York Jets running back Joe McKnight was shot to death in an apparent road rage incident in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told multiple television stations Thursday.
He was 28.
According to Normand, 54-year-old Ronald Gasser is in custody in the shooting death of McKnight. Gasser never left the scene of the incident, according to the sheriff.
"At approximately 2:43 p.m. today we received a call of a shooting that occurred here at Holmes and Behrman Highway," 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 was born in River Ridge, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, and starred at John Curtis High there. He attended USC before becoming a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2010. He spent three seasons with New York, amassing one start in 39 games and totaling 505 yards rushing and 241 yards receiving. He also was one of the NFL's top kick returners in 2011 and '12 -- his 29.0-yard career average leads all active players.
But McKnight landed in the doghouse amid a turbulent training camp in 2013. He flunked the team's conditioning test, blaming dehydration; he was arrested in New Jersey on outstanding traffic violations on an off day; he missed practice time with what the team characterized as a "head injury" and McKnight later called a concussion; and he got into a war of words with a fan on Twitter, suggesting they meet for a fight.
McKnight then was released by the Jets in August 2013, the biggest surprise of the team's final cuts before the regular season.
He ended up signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in January 2014, playing two games later that year and scoring two touchdowns, both on receptions.
Most recently, McKnight played five games this year in the Canadian Football League between Edmonton and Sasketchewan.
He was 28.
According to Normand, 54-year-old Ronald Gasser is in custody in the shooting death of McKnight. Gasser never left the scene of the incident, according to the sheriff.
"At approximately 2:43 p.m. today we received a call of a shooting that occurred here at Holmes and Behrman Highway," 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 was born in River Ridge, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, and starred at John Curtis High there. He attended USC before becoming a fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2010. He spent three seasons with New York, amassing one start in 39 games and totaling 505 yards rushing and 241 yards receiving. He also was one of the NFL's top kick returners in 2011 and '12 -- his 29.0-yard career average leads all active players.
But McKnight landed in the doghouse amid a turbulent training camp in 2013. He flunked the team's conditioning test, blaming dehydration; he was arrested in New Jersey on outstanding traffic violations on an off day; he missed practice time with what the team characterized as a "head injury" and McKnight later called a concussion; and he got into a war of words with a fan on Twitter, suggesting they meet for a fight.
McKnight then was released by the Jets in August 2013, the biggest surprise of the team's final cuts before the regular season.
He ended up signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in January 2014, playing two games later that year and scoring two touchdowns, both on receptions.
Most recently, McKnight played five games this year in the Canadian Football League between Edmonton and Sasketchewan.
