19-year-old Texas college student killed over beer pong argument

Alexandra Samuels | The University of Texas at Austin

Lacie LaRose, a freshman at Blinn College, was killed by a gunshot wound to the neck one month ago at a graduation party in College Station, Texas. Landon Duke, the 23-year-old party honoree, recently told The Eaglethat the shooting involving alleged killer, 39-year-old Ronald McNeil, began with a fight over the rules of beer pong.

Reports indicate that McNeil, Duke's neighbor and a convicted felon, was never invited over. However, McNeil and a few of his friends allegedly crashed the party where people had gathered to watch the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight.

"It was a little strange that they were at the party but they were really nice, at first, congratulating me on graduating," Duke told The Eagle.

Duke said that McNeil first got upset that the partygoers weren’t cheering for Floyd Mayweather. After the boxing match ended and the party died down, McNeil and the party guests moved to the garage to play beer pong.

An argument soon broke out between one of McNeil’s friends and one of Duke’s friends over the rules of the game. After the exchange became heated, Duke admits his friends became physical, but says the fight quickly ended. McNeil and his party were then asked to leave.

Allegedly, McNeil warned the partygoers that he was going home to get his gun. McNeil also said he recalls the teenagers yelling racial slurs, however, Duke said he did not recall this.

Reportedly, the students closed the garage door “just to be safe” and continued partying after McNeil and his friends left.

According to The Eagle, LaRose left the garage to grab a few beers when police say 15 shots were fired. After a fatal shot to the neck, LaRose’s body was dragged to the garage where witnesses reportedly heard her say ,"Call 911 -- I can't breathe."

LaRose was the only death at the party, though two other men – ages 23 and 29 – were injured during the shooting.

McNeil, who was arrested the night of the incident by College Station police, said he only intended on scaring partygoers with his handgun, and had fired it accidentally. He was charged with murder, two first-degree felony charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a third-degree felony deadly conduct charge.

He is currently being held on $500,000 bail at Brazos County Jail.

The LaRose family made a GoFundMe page titled “Love ‘em Like Lacie” in order to “make sure (Lacie’s) dream of saving animals lives on forever.”

The case is still under investigation.



Alex Samuels is a University of Texas at Austin student and USA TODAY College breaking news correspondent.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.