By Chevel Johnson

Associated Press

Former NFL player Joe McKnight was shot to death following an argument at an intersection with another motorist outside New Orleans, authorities said.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the Thursday incident involving McKnight happened about 2:43 p.m. in Terrytown, a suburb of New Orleans.

The 28-year-old running back was standing outside his car when he was shot by Ronald Gasser, 54, Normand said during a news conference at the scene of the shooting.

“The only thing we know right now, everything else is conjecture, is that Mr. Gasser did in fact shoot Mr. McKnight,” Normand said.

McKnight is the second former NFL player this year to die in the New Orleans area as a result of a possible road-rage incident.

Former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith was killed in April in a shooting that was sparked over a traffic altercation.

Norman said investigators have Gasser in custody and he’s being questioned, along with a number of witnesses. Col. John Fortunato, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said they anticipate charging Gasser, but with what had not yet been determined.

“We will release additional details when we get through with the interviews,” Normand said.

Normand said Gasser, whose hometown was not immediately released, stayed at the scene and relinquished his weapon to responding officers.

The sheriff said he did not know where the incident started, but noted that McKnight was standing outside his vehicle when he was shot. He did not release any details on the number of times McKnight was shot, saying the coroner’s office would do so.

Normand said no gun was found outside either vehicle.

McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent this season in the Canadian Football League, playing two games for the Edmonton Eskimos and three for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He ran for 150 yards against Toronto.