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FORMER NFL STAR Will Smith, who played for the New Orleans Saints, was shot and killed yesterday in what appears to have been a road rage incident. His death has shocked fans of the much-beloved athlete.
An emailed statement from New Orleans city coroner Jeffrey C. Rouse said that Smith died “of multiple gunshot wounds” after a traffic accident in the city’s Lower Garden District.
The former defensive end was 34 years old.
New Orleans Police Department spokesman Tyler Gamble today identified the suspect as Cardell Hayes, 29.
Gamble said the investigation was ongoing but did not release further details.
Online court records show Hayes pleaded guilty in 2014 to one count each of possessing an illegal weapon and possessing drug paraphernalia.
A tweet from the verified account of Greg Bensel, Saints vice president of communications and broadcasting, expressed condolences to Smith’s family.
Greg Bensel / TwitterA senseless and tragic loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with Will Smith - his wife Racquel - his children William, Wynter and Lisa.
— Greg Bensel (@GregBensel) April 10, 2016
The Smith family also released a statement through a public relations firm.
“On behalf of the Smith family, we are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers. We ask that you continue to respect the family’s privacy as they grieve the loss of a devoted husband, father and friend,” the statement read.
Road rage
Smith appeared to be the victim of a road rage accident.
He was driving in a Mercedes late yesterday through an upscale part of the city called the Lower Garden District when his vehicle was hit from behind by another vehicle, an orange Hummer H2, police said.
That caused Smith’s vehicle to hit a grey Chevrolet Impala in front of him. Two acquaintances of Smith’s were in the Impala but not injured.
At some point in the ensuing incident, Smith and Hayes — the driver of the Hummer — exchanged words, police said. That’s when police say Hayes pulled out a gun and shot Smith multiple times.
Smith’s wife, who was traveling with him, was shot in the leg. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police said Smith died at the scene.
Police said they recovered the weapon and took Hayes into custody.
Smith’s death shocked football fans across the Crescent City, where the former end was a loved and respected figure both on and off the field.
Super Bowl winner
A native of Queens, New York, Smith played for Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team and was a first-round draft choice by New Orleans in 2004.
He led the Saints with a career-high 13 sacks in 2009, when the team won its only Super Bowl.
He last played in an NFL regular season game in 2012, finishing his career with 67 ½ sacks.
During the 2013 preseason, a knee injury forced him onto injured reserve. He was signed in the 2014 offseason by New England but did not make the Patriots’ regular season roster.
Off the field, Smith took an active role in trying to improve the lives of children in New Orleans. He established a foundation called, Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way, in 2007. Its stated mission is “to motivate, educate and provide opportunities for women and children”.
After football, he settled in Louisiana, his wife’s native state. His shooting came during the weekend of the French Quarter festival, a popular festival featuring local music and food.
Smith leaves behind his wife, Racquel, and three children.
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These people are known to authorities yet they still roam free? Should all known potential terrorists and their families and friends just be rounded up and deported? It would free up plenty of social housing and save tax payers money.
Deported where? He was British.
@Ted Logan: he wasn’t British
@KingBen: are you aware of what it costs the taxpayer to monitor even one person? It’s completely unfeasible for them to keep all potential terrorists under surveillance.
@KingBen: A person born Adrian Elms (or Russell or some variation thereon) born in the County of Kent in England. To where are you proposing to deport “these people”? I don’t think the Australians are still accepting convict ships. Have you a proposal to make or is that just ignorant and uninformed prejudice?
@Ted Logan: Germany are about to deport two German born men to their parents place of birth, Algeria and Nigeria!
@Ted Logan:.. if these people are extreme threat to ireland or any other country in Europe i don’t care where they send too or what happens to them their. all i care about is the safety of my family and friends and ireland and Europe which is paramount ..
@Terry McClatchey: deport him to whichever country to which he identifies himself with, maybe Morocco for example? I don’t care really but one thing is for sure he didn’t add any value to the lives of British people so why keep his like there? That OK with you and your lefty liberal feminist views?
@Ted Logan: His nationality is British according to reports but you have to love a country, respect it’s heritage and customs and most importantly you have no need to kill your fellow country men before you can claim the right to quote your nationality. Until you have looked into the eyes of a lone wolf, you will not see hatred based on twisted hatred. A lone wolf has no religious believes not alone on a bizarre ancient and dangerous cult.
@Ted Logan: of dual nationality Germany are sending back two German born citizens to Algeria where their parents come from . This is the measures that is forced on us by these terrorists
I’ll never understand how some people bite the hand that feeds them. Reminds me of the frog and the scorpion….. It’s in their nature.
@Alan Kennedy: Or maybe he is being told that everyone around him is a bigot and racist by people looking to influence individuals such as this terrorist into action.
@James Guinan: I always had a sense of right and wrong.Are you making excuses for this man full of evil and hatred?
@James Guinan: If the think as you suggest there are perfect alternatives to migrate to such awful countries, find one that shares your twisted religious beliefs if you will let you in. Not trusting a religion who hates you because you don’t share their view is NOT racist, it is an understanding what Sharia law wants to do with unbelievers when the time (and the population) is in your favour. If you have children have a good look at sharia and an examine of The Q book and learn what your bleeding heart is trying to achieve. If I don’t want child brides (low as 8), if I cannot stand the idea of girls being have their genitals multilayer or when they grow up to be beaten if they disobey their husbands then that sees me as a bigot in your mind but that won’t allow me to give an inch to sharia.
@Alan Kennedy: How is suggesting that individuals might be giving him a reason to kill others justifying his action? What a stupid assertion.
@Jho Harris: What are you on about with migration? I am refering to our medias in the west constantly on about how awful the west is and all the islamaphobia they claim we constantly produce. On top of islamist preachers advocating for action in name of their horrible religion. How can you not understand such a simple comment?
@James Guinan: Badly worded original comment James.
@Alan Kennedy: How so? On review of it, it says exactly what I intended to say as concisely as possible. Maybe don’t assume everyone is an Islamist apologising progressive.
@James Guinan: there can be little doubt that the flames of anger are stoked by others, possibly those that converted him.
@Dave O Keeffe: I agree and I would speculate that it is not merely just stoking of those who converted him, but also an environment which lead him to be converted, in regards to the main stream media perpetuating false notions of rampant hatred, racism and various phobias. Not to mention how evil we are and complicite in the actions of the military and political figure ideolouges.
@James Guinan: the flames are also stoked by those that actually do wonder about their daily lives threatening anyone that looks foreign. Remember the post Brexit postcards that people got in their letterboxes?
Another unstable person has been manipulated by the isis internet cult and has committed multiple murders using mundanely legal weapons. The usual purpose of these type of attacks is to scare the general population into hating a minority and thereby force vulnerable members of that minority already on the fringes of society into the recruitment of the terrorists. London will keep a stiff upper lip, ignore the minuscule minority of terrorists and get on with things, and so should the rest of us.
Wishy washy words
@George Roche:
Great insight there george, thanks for adding to the debate
We should be reading about the victims not inadvertently glorifying this fcuk wit!
Looks like the Californian three strikes and you’re out has unforseen benefits.
At least one of them in Ireland is being deported
@lez ferguson: the man’s British. There’s nowhere to deport him to.
have your say