A new finding about the suspect in the tragic Joe McKnight shooting case has surfaced. The suspect Ronald Gasser reportedly has a history of road rage and assault in Terrytown, Louisiana at the same exact traffic intersection, where he admitted to shooting McKnight Thursday afternoon (Dec. 1).
According to the New Orleans Advocate, the suspect has a misdemeanor charge for simple battery from a 2006 incident in Terrytown. In that case, there was a 911 call from a motorist who reported that there was an brief heated exchange between the caller and Gasser at the intersection of Holmes Boulevard and Behrman Highway in Terrytown. The victim in the 2006 incident reportedly saw a phone number on a pickup truck to warn whoever had picked up the phone that the truck driver has been driving unsafely.
The phone call was answered by Gasser himself because the number on the side of the truck belonged to his cell phone. Gasser then reportedly yelled back at the caller, and managed to find out the caller's car was not far from Gasser's truck, and then proceeded to follow the victim. The caller claimed that Gasser had subsequently pulled up to a nearby gas station when the victim was located and punched him.
Gasser was then issued a misdemeanor summons for battery, but the case was ultimately dismissed. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office dropped the charges for reasons they claim are unclear.
After McKnight was murdered, Gasser confessed to shooting the former NFL running back after police came to the crime scene in Terrytown. Gasser was released from custody by police without charges after he remained at the scene of the shooting and gave officers the gun that was used to shoot McKnight. Gasser claimed self-defense, and Louisiana has a "stand your ground" law that allows people to shoot to kill if they feel their life is in danger.
McKnight was highly touted as "the next Reggie Bush" during his college days at USC. Earlier today, the USC football legend and Buffalo Bills running back Reggie Bush tweeted a photo of the cleats he plans to wear for Sunday's game against the Raiders to honor the memory of McKnight.
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