The man who shot and killed Joe McKnight was cited a decade ago after a road rage incident in which he allegedly beat another man on the same intersection where he shot McKnight on Thursday, authorities said.
Ronald Gasser was issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery in the Feb. 20, 2006 incident, after a man said Gasser attacked him and beat him with his fist, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. The charge was ultimately dismissed, but will be reviewed again now, JPSO said in a press release.
Gasser fatally shot McKnight, a former NFL player and local high school standout, at the end of a road rage incident in the Terrytown intersection of Behrman Highway and Holmes Boulevard, authorities said. Gasser, who shot McKnight three times,
was released without charges Friday, pending results of an investigation.
Joe McKnight's shooter, Ronald Gasser, released from custody
Ronald Gasser, the man authorities say shot and killed former NFL player Joe McKnight, was released from custody without being charged.
Authorities said the shooting came as a result of a road rage incident that began in the Crescent City Connection and was at first a verbal argument involving Gasser and McKnight.
The February 2006 incident involving Gasser was also the result of what was at first a verbal confrontation, according to JPSO. The victim in that case, identified by JPSO only as a 51-year-old man from Marrero, called 911 to report a man driving dangerously in a pick-up truck along Holiday Drive in Algiers. JPSO said the driver was later identified as Gasser.
The victim noticed a phone number listed on the truck to report unsafe driving and dialed the number. Gasser answered and told the victim he was driving the vehicle, according to JPSO.
"A verbal altercation began between the victim and Gasser," over the phone, JPSO said.
The victim then stopped to refuel at the gas station at Behrman Highway and Holmes Boulevard, according to JPSO.
"It was at that time Gasser, who had followed him into the station, confronted him and began to strike him with a closed fist several times," the press release said.
Gasser then drove away from the station, the victim told JPSO in a 911 call after the altercation. JPSO Investigators, at a later date not specified in the press release, found Gasser and issued him the summons. The battery charge was dismissed, though JPSO did not say when.
"We will continue to research this matter in order to determine the reason for the dismissal. Once we are able to determine same, we will report the outcome of our review," the department said in the press release.
. This is so blatantly corrupt I have no words. They claim not to have any witnesses and are just going to take the murderer's word for it huh? Despicable 
I'm not saying take away guns but there should be stricter laws to it shouldn't be so easy to have access to them.
