Running back Joe McKnight, who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders following seasons in the NFL, was shot and killed Thursday in a suburb of New Orleans.
A local law enforcement official confirmed McKnight, 28, was the victim of a homicide described as an incident involving road rage.
A 54-year-old suspect who remained on the scene was in custody.
According to local media reports, a witness described an argument at an intersection in Terrytown, La., Thursday afternoon where shots were fired.
“We are shocked to hear the news of Joe’s sudden passing,” Chris Jones, the Roughriders head coach and general manager, said in a statement Thursday. “We send our deepest sympathies to Joe’s family, friends, and all those impacted by this tragedy.”
Craig Reynolds, the club’s president and CEO, added that everyone with the organization was “saddened to hear of the tragic loss.”
“Losing a member of our Rider family this way is an unthinkable occurrence,” Reynolds said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Joe’s family, teammates and coaches.”
McKnight signed with the Riders in September. He played three games and made 38 carries, gaining a total of 228 yards.
Before that, he was with the Edmonton Eskimos.
McKnight also played 41 career NFL games between 2010 and 2014 with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets.
Some of his teammates have taken to Twitter to express their sadness over his death.
Man.. still doesn’t make sense to me… R.I.P to my teammate, my bro Joe McKnight.. life isn’t fair.
— Nic Demski (@Demski9) 1 December 2016
Crazy man…R.I.P. Joe!
— Darian Durant (@dariandurant) 1 December 2016
Crazy thing is he was joking about wanting to stay up here in Regina/Canada because he enjoyed how chill and peaceful it was…
— Spencer Moore (@spencermoore80) 1 December 2016
2nd slaying of a CFL player this year
McKnight’s death is the second time this year that a CFL player was the victim of a fatal shooting.
In September, Calgary Stampeder Mylan Hicks died following an early-morning shooting outside a Calgary nightclub.
A 19-year-old man is facing a murder charge in that case.