Former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, 34, died after being shot in his automobile on Camp Street in New Orleans late on April 9.
Michael DeMocker of NOLA.com covered the news and captured photographs of the crime scene:
Wilborn P. Nobles III of NOLA.com reported that the incident happened at 11:29 p.m. CT. “Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. Jeffrey Rouse identified Smith as the dead victim in the event,” Nobles said. “Police stated Smith’s wife was injured and taken to the hospital. “The shooter is being questioned.”
According to Garland Gillen of Fox 8, Saints VP of Communications and Broadcasting Greg Bensel confirmed Smith’s death, and police provided a detailed narrative of what happened.
Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV cited a source who said two individuals are in arrest for the double shooting, with one admitting to firing the rounds. According to Yellin, a police source confirmed that a three-car crash and an incident occurred before to the shooting.
According to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com, Cardell Hayes was booked about 8 a.m. on second-degree murder charges for the killing of [Smith]. The Advocate shared Hayes’ mug image on Twitter: Hayes’ bond has been set at $1 million, according to Ken Daley of NOLA.com.
“Hayes was a football player at Warren Easton High School in 2004 and was ranked among the top prospects in Louisiana,” NOLA. com’s Evan Woodbery said. “As of 2015, it appears he was still playing football for the Crescent City Kings, a local developing squad.”
Hayes previously sued the city of New Orleans and six New Orleans police officers in 2006 after his father was “pepper-sprayed and shot nine times by police while wielding a knife along St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District,” according to Daley.
Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu took to Twitter after learning about the shooter:
On Wednesday, the lawyer for Hayes’ passenger told NBC News, via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk, that Smith’s death occurred in self-defense.
“Smith had a pistol and was going to shoot it, and Cardell could have saved both of their lives,” attorney Tanzanika Ruffin said, referring to Hayes and his passenger. “In my opinion, this is a justified homicide. “We assume Will Smith is a saint, but he is not.”
“At no time during this event did Will Smith ever brandish or carry on his person a firearm,” Smith’s family attorney Peter Thomson said, per Daley.
Thomson added, per Woodbery, that the gun was “in [the] compartment in the vehicle the entire time.”
Woodbery cited a witness from a nearby house who reported hearing “yelling and about five gunshots” before running inside. Per Woodbery, a tourist staying at a bed-and-breakfast comforted Smith’s wife Racquel, who was shot in the leg. The tourist accompanied Smith’s wife until paramedics and the police arrived.
