Joe McKnight Shooter Ronald Gasser Charged With Manslaughter [VIDEO]
The man who allegedly shot and killed former NFL running back Joe McKnight during a road rage incident was arrested and charged with felony manslaughter on Tuesday (Dec. 6) in Terrytown, La.
According to USA Today, Ronald Gasser was taken into custody and will remain in jail on a $500,000 bond. The 54-year-old was questioned by police last week but was later let go, while investigators conducted 160 interviews and gather more information from the medical examiner.
As we previously reported, McKnight and Gasser got into a verbal altercation while driving on the highway and cutting each other off as they drove through the suburban New Orleans town.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told the media that “At some point, Mr. McKnight exits his car and goes to Mr. Gasser’s car. There continues to be a verbal altercation. At some point in time during that verbal altercation, Mr. Gasser pulls his weapon from between the seat and console and fires three shots at Joe McKnight, killing him.”
“This isn’t about race," Sheriff Normand reiterated. “Not a single witness to this day said there was one racial slur uttered during the course of these events. Unfortunately, a life was lost. But you want you know something, folks? Two people engaged in bad behavior that day. Why? I don’t know.”
If Gasser gets convicted on the manslaughter charge, he could face 40 years in prison under Louisiana law.