The shooting death of ex-NFL player Joe McKnight in New Orleans was a road rage incident that began on a bridge, a sheriff said on Friday.
McKnight was shot Thursday afternoon in Terrytown, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. Authorities identified 54-year-old Ronald Gasser, who stayed at the scene, as the shooter and released him overnight, sparking criticism.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the altercation that ended with McKnight's death started on a nearby bridge - possibly when one driver cut the other off - and then proceeded into streets of the New Orleans suburb. He didn't say which man cut off the other.
Authorities said Gasser shot McKnight three times from inside his car with a semi-automatic handgun while McKnight was standing outside. Witnesses reported the two had been arguing heatedly.
Normand defended his handling of the case, saying the investigation was ongoing.
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Speaking of Gasser's release, the sheriff urged caution.
"The easiest thing for me would have been 'Book him, Danno.' Right?" Normand said, referring to the long-running TV series Hawaii Five-0.
"Mr Gasser is not going anywhere. He has been completely cooperative with us in every request we have made. We will do a very through and deliberate investigation."
But news that Gasser had been involved in a similar altercation with a driver a decade ago was likely to raise further questions about who was the aggressor.
Normand said in February 2006, Gasser chased down and beat another driver in what appeared to be the same intersection where McKnight was shot dead.
Normand didn't go into details of the McKnight investigation, saying he didn't want to taint any prospective witnesses who might still come forward.
Normand said there was no video of the incident and Gasser did not stand over McKnight and fire shots into him.
McKnight's grandmother said family members were still seeking information about the ex-player's death and why Gasser was released.
Barbara Franklin told AP relatives are "trying to find out our own selves" just what happened. "He might be released now, but God is going to bring about justice in it".
McKnight is the second former NFL player this year to die in the New Orleans area in an apparent road rage incident. Former New Orleans player Will Smith was shot last April, sparked by a traffic altercation.
McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with Kansas City. He spent this year in the Canadian league.
McKnight was considered the nation's No. 1 running back recruit when he came out of Louisiana in 2006 and signed with the University of Southern California. He was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round in 2010.
