Smith was shot eight times, including seven in the back, police said. Either immediately or moments thereafter, the killer unloads six to eight shots into Will’s back. But Thomson called this a lie and a distortion, and said the real victims were Smith and his wife Racquel, who ended up hospitalized with bullet wounds in both legs.
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Police had no information to suggest that the fatal shooting of Hayes’ father in 2005 had any link to the killing of Smith, NOPD superintendent Michael Harrison said.
Asked whether he believed whether evidence in the case had been tampered with or covered up, Fuller responded: “I’d rather keep my thoughts on that to myself”. “Why would he hit somebody and keep going?”
“There is nothing, nothing, Will Smith could have ever said” to justify the shooting, Thomson concluded.
Hayes’ Facebook page is filled with pictures of him on the set of comedy movie 22 Jump Street, including one of him hugging a man he says is Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Hayes and Smith argued, police said, and Hayes then shot Smith and his wife Racquel with a.45-caliber handgun.
The Hummer stopped suddenly, forcing Smith to hit the brakes.
“The consensus in the auto was, ‘we didn’t hit this vehicle, there’s no damage, it’s late at night, ‘ so out of concern for their safety and because they don’t know why this Hummer had stopped so suddenly, and seeing no damage whatsoever, they continued”, Thomson said.
“Like you might bump into someone when you park”, Thomson added.
Minutes before the shooting, two vehicles similar to the ones that Hayes and Smith drove were involved in what appeared to be a minor collision or a near miss on Magazine Street, according to surveillance footage. Smith had a permit to carry the concealed weapon in Louisiana – to protect himself and his family – but he said Smith never took the weapon out of its compartment.
Smith decided not to pull over, prompting the Hummer to chase after the SUV.
“Shaken, Will checked first to make sure everyone in the vehicle was okay”. “They see a large man coming at the Hummer”.
In another odd coincidence, Smith had dinner earlier that day with William Ceravolo, a police officer who had a history with Hayes.
“He is yelling at Will, yelling and cursing and he had his hands up, shaking them and making signals, and was enraged”, Thomson said. “We have children. This is not worth this”. Also discovered, but days later, were other loaded weapons in both cars, although Smith had no weapon on his person at the time of the shooting.
“My understanding is no bullets entered the front of Will”, Thomson said. Investigators also found a fully loaded revolver inside the Hummer H2 driven by Hayes.
The defense attorney in the case says he spoke to a witness who states she saw former National Football League player Will Smith with a gun the night he was killed.
None of the occupants in the Smiths’ vehicle were identified.
“And he goes, ‘F- y’all, I got one too, ‘” the witness described.
Fuller previously said Hayes was “not the aggressor in terms of the behavior that happened after the accident”, per Triplett.
NBC reports that the statement came from attorney Tanzanika Ruffin on behalf of the passenger, Kevin O’Neal.
Jacquelyn Brubaker, of New Orleans, looks at a makeshift memorial Monday, April 11, 2016, near the spot where former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was shot and killed, and his wife was wounded by gunfire, after.
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A public visitation will be held Friday to honor Smith and a private funeral and burial will be held Saturday.
