First picture of dad, 54, in handcuffs after shooting dead NFL star Joe McKnight in 'road rage' incident

Ronald Gasser reportedly shot the running back, 28, then shouted: "I told you don't you f*** with me"


Ronald Gasser, 54, has been named by police as the man who shot McKnight dead (Photo: Handout)

Handcuffed and slumped against his car, this is the first image of a dad who shot dead an NFL star in a suspected road rage incident.

Running back Joe McKnight, 28, died at the scene after blasted a number of times in a suburb of New Orleans.

Ronald Gasser, a 54-year-old local father, has been named by police as the shooter.

He stayed at the scene and handed a gun to police before being arrested.

McKnight was driving his 4x4 alongside Gasser when witnesses said a dispute erupted at a set of traffic lights.


Joe McKnight when he played for the New York Jets (Photo: Getty)

It is not known whether either man got out the car, but one woman told the Times-Picayune Gasser shot McKnight then shouted: "I told you don't you f*** with me".

He then fired a second time.

McKnight, 28, played college football for USC, and then went on to play for the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said: "The two vehicles came to stop at this location, side by side."

"The only thing that we know, at this point in time, and everything else would be conjecture, as we are interviewing a number of witnesses, as well as Mr Gasser, is that Mr Gasser did in fact shoot Mr McKnight.

"We will be releasing additional details as we get through these interviews."

McKnight was currently playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League.

Roughriders president and CEO Craig Reynolds issued a statement saying: "We are saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Joe McKnight.

"Losing a member of our Rider family this way is an unthinkable occurrence.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Joe’s family, teammates and coaches."