Super Bowl victor and former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was gunned down and killed on Sunday by a man who had rear-ended his vehicle.
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The deadly shooting began when Smith, a former New Orleans Saints star, was rear-ended while driving in New Orleans’s Lower Garden District, causing him to hit a vehicle in front of him, police said.
Cell phone video shows a witness talking about the incident and describing a possible second weapon at the scene.
A reporter asked, “Are you saying Mr. Hayes felt threatened by the presence of something Smith had or something someone in his party had?” Gunshots allegedly fired by Hayes also struck Smith’s wife twice in the leg. Police say those vehicles match the descriptions of the Hummer driven by Hayes and the Mercedes driven by Smith.
“Two hundred years from now, they’re going to look back and say, ‘What was that madness about?’ ” Payton told Jarrett Bell and USA Today.
Smith, a former first round pick who played 10 seasons with the Saints as a defensive end, has been mourned by family and former teammates as a loving father of three and star athlete.
Hayes, 28, is being held on $1 million bond after police arrested him on a charge of second-degree murder. “But on this issue, I can’t wrap my brain around it”.
Police spokesman Tyler Gamble declined to comment on the new video and would only say: “We continue to canvass the area to obtain and review video surveillance”. He also spent six months playing in a British football league during the late 1980s, before launching his coaching career.
Fuller said that his client’s actions tell a different story as Hayes called 911 after he was hit, and persuaded a witness who was about to leave to remain and talk to police.
Then, near the intersection of Magazine and St. Andrew, more surveillance video captures the Hummer stopping abruptly after possibly getting bumped from behind by a Mercedes SUV.
The station reported that the video shows the Hummer appearing to try and pull over to the side of the road.
“I need an ambulance”.
“Make no mistake about it: We absolutely don’t tolerate this type of behavior on the streets of New Orleans”.
“RIP Will Smith, may the lord have mercy on your soul at the gates of heaven”, the 31-year-old running back wrote. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. “I’ve had several encounters with him growing up, and I’d even say altercations with him growing up so I know what type of personality he is”.
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One of Sean Payton’s toughest moments in New Orleans came Saturday when he learned that his former captain Will Smith was shot to death, only eight blocks from Payton’s home.
