Ronald Gasser, the accused killer of former NFL player Joe McKnight was released from jail on Friday, December 2, without being charged, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office officials in Louisiana confirmed.
JPSO spokesman Col. John Fortunato told NOLA.com that investigators working on the case are consulting with the district attorney’s office on whether they should formally charge Gasser, 54, at a later date.
As previously reported, Gasser fatally shot McKnight in an apparent road rage incident in New Orleans on Thursday, December 1. He was 28.
According to the Associated Press, McKnight — a former running back for the New York Jets — was at an intersection in New Orleans suburb Terrytown when he got into a verbal fight with Gasser. Sheriff Newell Normand of Jefferson Parish said that the incident occurred at about 2:43 p.m.
#BREAKING: Ronald Gasser, suspect in Joe McKnight’s killing, released from custody https://t.co/Ah1KfQ409a pic.twitter.com/Vw1eV0jIJu
— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) December 2, 2016
An eyewitness previously told NOLA.com that she was exiting a nearby store when she saw the confrontation between the two men. The woman said that Gasser was shouting at McKnight, who appeared to be apologizing, when he pulled out a gun and shot the athlete multiple times.
She said the shooter then stood over McKnight and said, “I told you, don’t f–k with me,” and fired one more time.
Gasser’s sister Sharon Weileman spoke out about her brother’s incident during a Thursday interview with NOLA.com. “He’s the best guy, the most generous guy,” she told the news outlet. “I have no idea what happened. I can’t even talk right now.”
Gasser’s daughter, Candice Gasser-Bua, also weighed in on her father’s actions. “I’m speechless at the moment,” she told NOLA.com. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happened.”