Advertisement Sheriff: Former John Curtis HS football star Joe McKnight victim in Terrytown homicide Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Former John Curtis High School star football player Joe McKnight was shot and killed Thursday during an encounter with a man at a Terrytown intersection, officials said. The homicide was reported around 3 p.m. at Behrman Highway and Holmes Boulevard, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said in an update that McKnight was found with gunshot wounds at the intersection. Paramedics attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Normand said the accused gunman Ronald Gasser, 54, was arrested at the scene. Detectives said that before the shooting, McKnight and Gasser stopped at the intersection in separate vehicles and got into an apparent argument. "The suspect was just standing there with a gun waiting there with a gun until the police came and asked him to put the gun down that's when he threw the gun onto the seat of the car and police arrested detained him and brought him to the back of the police car," said Lance Harris, a witness. Family members confirmed earlier that McKnight, of Kenner, was killed. McKnight is one of the most decorated prep players in Louisiana history. In his senior year at John Curtis, he was responsible for 30 total touchdowns, helping to lead the team to a perfect season. WDSU sports anchor Fletcher Mackel said McKnight was recruited by nearly every college in the country, but went on to play at the University of Southern California. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 draft for the New York Jets. He played for the Jets for three seasons and sat out the 2013 season. He returned to the NFL in the 2014 season, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, but suffered an injury in September 2014, which ended his season -- his last in the NFL. McKnight was most recently a return specialist in the Canadian Football League. "Mr. McKnight did not have a gun in his possession there was no gun on the exterior of the vehicle we have not searched the vehicle until we get a search warrant for the vehicle either vehicle Mr. Gasser's vehicle or Mr. McKnight's vehicle has been searched at this time," said Normand. The coroner's office will perform an autopsy. The Sheriff's Office has not released a photo of Gasser. This is a developing story. Stay with WDSU.com for updates. Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!