NFL hopeful Kyren Lacy passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police pursuit. He was 24 years old.
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According to law enforcement documents obtained by TMZ, the former Louisiana State University wide receiver was involved in a weapons disturbance in Houston, Texas, on Saturday. A call was made about the situation at approximately 11:15 p.m. local time.
The person who called in stated that she was a family member of Lacy. During a verbal argument, the athlete fired a weapon into the ground. He fled the scene not long after.
Law enforcement officials stated they saw Lacy’s vehicle and attempted to pull him over. However, he dove off, leading to a vehicular police pursuit.
During the pursuit, Lacy’s vehicle crashed. As the officers attempted to take the football player into custody, they discovered he was deceased from “what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Officers said they were able to recover a handgun from the vehicle.
Lacy’s death comes just months after he was accused of killing a 78-year-old man in a car crash. During that incident, he fled the scene without helping the victim. He turned him over to the police a month later. He was released on a $151,000 bond.
Following his arrest, Lacy was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run with death, and reckless operation of a vehicle. He was slated to appear in court on Monday.
The medical examiner has not released the official cause of Lacy’s death.
Kyren Lacy’s Family Speaks Out About His Shocking Death
Kyrne Lacy’s parents, Kandance Washington and Kenny Lacy, have broken their silence about his shocking death.
In a post on Instagram, Washington stated that she was “absolutely heartbroken” over the loss of her son. She further shared she was “doing as good” as she can.
“There are no words to fully express the pain our family is feeling right now,” she wrote. “I want to thank each and every one of you who has reached out – through messages, calls, social media, and more. I see your text, your words of love, and your offers of support. It means more than I can say.”
Lacy’s father, Kenny, took to his Facebook account to stress the importance of checking on loved ones.
“Young parents, start talking to your kids at a very early age and make sure they are confident and comfortable confiding in you,” he wrote. “Don’t be cool with ‘I’m Alright’ or ‘I’m good’ when you know deep down something isn’t right.”
He then pointed out, “Mental Health is real, and for the most part, it’s invisible. Don’t ignore the signs, even if they may seem small. Our lives have changed forever, and this will never be ok, but God needed my baby more than he needed here.”
Kenny went on to add, “This has to be the biggest pill our families have had to swallow, and I know the love and compassion in our families will get us through. This will never get easier, but we’ll learn to live with it.”