Police question 2 LSU football players who were in truck in which man was killed in Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. — A man was shot to death in the back seat of a truck Saturday afternoon with two LSU athletes in the front seat, according to Baton Rouge Police spokesman, Sgt. L'Jean McKneely.
"The shooting occurred inside the cab of the four-door Chevy pickup truck," McKneely told the USA TODAY Network in a phone interview. "A total of three people were in the truck — the two student-athletes and the deceased — and at least two guns. We have the weapons that were involved."
Police do not believe the shots came from another vehicle or another person who approached the vehicle, McKneely said.
The athletes have been identified through LSU contacts as football players — sophomore tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire of Baton Rouge and freshman walk-on linebacker Jared Small of Baton Rouge. The two were teammates at Catholic High in Baton Rouge.
The shooting occurred at about noon Saturday on the 2900 block of 68th Avenue in the north Baton Rouge community of Scotlandville, which is 9 miles from the LSU campus.
Edwards-Helaire or Small called 9-1-1, and both athletes waited at the scene for the authorities to arrive, McKneely said.
Neither player was arrested, but both were brought to the violent crimes unit at State Police headquarters in Baton Rouge for questioning Saturday afternoon that included the possibility of self defense. Each was released later Saturday night, McKneely said.
"The shooting is still under investigation," McKneely said. "No charges were filed, but they're still under investigation. They could possibly be brought in for more questioning. It is still an ongoing investigation. There are three people involved - the two athletes and the deceased."
McKneely said police were in the process of notifying the family of the man who was shot to death.
LSU athletic director Joe Alleva released a statement Saturday afternoon.
"Right now, our concern is the safety of and well being of our student athletes," Alleva said. "They have been involved in a traumatic incident, and we have made our counselors available to assist immediately."
