NEW ORLEANS – Fans and former teammates are mourning the shocking death of One-time Ohio State and New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith during an apparent road rage incident in New Orleans over the weekend.
The Ohio State athletics family lost one of its best Saturday night when former football team captain and All-American Will Smith was shot and killed in New Orleans following a traffic accident.
-Ohio State Athletics Department statement
Mourning the loss of a great friend and teammate, Will Smith. Such a senseless tragedy. Please pray for Racquel and their children.
— Drew Brees (@drewbrees) April 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/JalinMarshall/status/719215340127985664
Damn! Lost for words… Thoughts and prayers to Will Smiths family! Great father, player, person ! #WillSmith
— Terrelle Pryor SR (@TerrellePryor) April 10, 2016
A New Orleans magistrate set bond at $1 million for the man accused of killing former Ohio State and New Orleans Saints player Will Smith. Magistrate Brigid Collins noted that Smith was shot in the back and side.
Defense attorney John Fuller said after Sunday’s hearing that Cardell Hayes, 28, is not guilty of the second-degree murder charge on which he’s being held. He implied that Hayes fired because he believed Smith was going for a gun of his own.
According to police, Smith was driving in a Mercedes Saturday in an upscale part of the city when his vehicle was hit from behind by an orange Hummer2 driven by Hayes. That caused Smith’s vehicle to hit a car in front of him. At some point Smith and Hayes exchanged words and then, according to police, Hayes pulled out a gun and shot Smith multiple times.
Smith was a native of Queens, New York, and played for Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team. He graduated in 2005 with a degree in criminology and went on to play in the NFL for nine seasons, appearing in the 2009 Super Bowl.
A father of three, Smith was 34.