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Family, friends and fans mourned the loss of former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith Sunday, one day after he was fatally shot in an apparent road rage incident in the Crescent City.
In a statement released on behalf of Smith's loved ones, family thanked the public for its support and prayers and asked for privacy “as they grieve the loss of a devoted husband, father and friend.”
“Will was more than an exceptional football player,” New Orleans Saints owners Tom and Gayle Benson said in a statement released by the franchise Sunday morning. “He was a father, a husband, a son, a brother and a teammate to so many, and an inspiration to countless more. … The Saints family is hurting and devastated that it has lost a member too young and too soon.”
Smith, 34, and his wife, Racquel Smith, were shot late Saturday night in an apparent road rage incident in the city's Lower Garden District. The couple was in a Mercedes SUV when they were rear-ended by a Hummer H2, police said in a statement.
Will Smith and the driver of the Hummer “exchanged words,” according to police. The driver of the Hummer then pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at Will Smith and his wife.
Will Smith died at the scene. His wife was transported to a local hospital with two gunshot wounds to her leg, police said.
“We are devastated and saddened by Will's tragic and preventable death due to a senseless act that will leave a lasting scar on our community forever,” the Saints said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Will and his wife Racquel, but more importantly with their children, William, Wynter and Lisa, who are suffering and just starting to realize and deal with an unimaginable loss.”
On Sunday morning, authorities booked Cardell Hayes, 28, into jail on a second-degree murder charge. The Times-Picayune identified Hayes as the man suspected of killing Will Smith.
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