LSU football player killed man trying to rob him and teammate, police say

[Zorro]

Source: LA Times

Two Louisiana State football players were trying to sell an electronic item when one of them fatally shot an 18-year-old man trying to rob them, police said Sunday.

A statement released by Baton Rouge police does not identify the players, but a person familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press that the players are running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and linebacker Jared Small. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because LSU and police have not released the players' names.

The man killed was identified by police as Kobe Johnson. He was not an LSU student and died at the scene Saturday.

LSU players called police, waited at the scene, were questioned and were released while the investigation continues.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-lsu-shooting-20181223-story.html

[Jake Stern]

1. This oughta be interesting to watch

I know the reactions on here when a white involved shooting is treated as justified. Let's see what the mood is like when it's a person of color that is considered justified in shooting someone.

[sarisataka]

24. The decline of Ebay

Is a more pressing issue

[Jake Stern]

38. I expected a double standard and wasn't disappointed

Had the shooter been white the presumption among DUers would have been he was a racist vigilante until it was shown he was backed into the proverbial corner.

Then they might take enough pity on him to downgrade the accusation to overreacting.

[Devil Child]

2. From the article it reads like self-defense to me

But I will need to wait for the investigation to finish. If indeed legitimate self-defense then good for Mr. Edwards-Helaire and Mr. Small keeping themselves alive.

[B Stieg]

3. They never heard of eBay? nt

[Crowman2009]

4. Well sometimes it's easier to find a local buyer in case the postage is too high.

Or it's too heavy to mail.

[ansible]

5. Ebay is a horrible place to sell online now

Between paypal fees, shipping costs and the hassle of asshole buyers who'll file a unreceived item claim, it's not worth it anymore.

[murielm99]

8. EBay used to be fun.

I hardly go there any more. For sellers and buyers alike, it has ceased to be as honest and useful as it was a few years ago. I will spare you the horror stories.

[Throckmorton]

16. Very True,

I am in the middle of shutting down my ten year old eBay business, it just yields too little now to justify continuing.

[Polybius]

6. Why wait?

Craigslist or other local classified are a faster way to sell, and you won't have to ship it out.

[TexasBushwhacker]

9. Agreed, but you have to meet in a public place

preferably during daylight hours. Otherwise, there's the possibility of a robbery taking place, as it happened in this situation.

[Mosby]

11. a friend of mine from work

Tried to sell some game console he bought at a huge discount on black Friday. He met the buyer in front of a Best Buy in a nice area of Phoenix, AZ. He was robbed of the console and all the money he had.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. True, it can happen anywhere

When you say "in front" do you mean in front, by the doors, or in the parking lot? I sold a used laptop, but I had them meet me inside a Dennys.

[Mosby]

14. not sure, I think by the doors

I think going inside somewhere is best, like a dennys or Starbucks.

I sold a few cars to private parties, I always had the buyers meet me at my work and then the bank, not my home.

When I worked in thrift and made listings for items, I directed them to the store to complete the transaction.

[ripcord]

30. Our local police department has a spot in front of the station for these transactions

[Polybius]

34. I've been buying (and occasionally selling) on Craigslist for about 15 years now

Never had a problem, and have even met people at their houses late into the night. One night I picked up a hot tub cover for cheap. I got out of work at 9:00 PM, and drove for over an hour.

It was well after dark 10 when I arrived, and it was an isolated house in the woods up a hill. I got out of my car and walked up the driveway, and it was pitch-black. Two guys came out of the house, and at this point I hoped they didn't mistake me for an intruder and shoot me! I quickly identified myself as the buyer, and they welcomed me into the back yard. They were very friendly, and helped load it in my truck.

Another time I bought an Atari computer at around 11:00 PM, after driving for almost two hours. Turns out the seller was a 60-something woman (I think the computer was her son's). She opened the door and said "come on in!" I thought it was weird, but I think she was just lonely, as she could sure talk!

I guess I've been lucky. Stories like this, however, make me a little worried. I am never armed. I don't want a firearm.

[cstanleytech]

7. Ebay is not perfect, for example I would not advise buying any SD cards on ebay as there

are a ton of people selling fake ones claiming they are one size when more often than not they are in fact a far smaller size.

[Mosby]

15. dont the really little ones use adapters?

To make them bigger.

[cstanleytech]

17. The adapters just allow them to be plugged into things like computers.

For example I have a 128gb micro sd installed in my tablet which has a micro sd slot however if I want to put it into my computer I need either a SD adapter or a micro sd to usb adapter as the computer does not have a micro sd slot.

[Codeine]

10. My wife sells her phones on Craigslist

whenever she gets a new model. It’s usually quite painless and drama-free.

[TexasBushwhacker]

13. For how much?

Selling a used phone for $50 will probably be safe. Selling a used phone for $200 might lead to a robbery.

[Codeine]

19. I think she usually gets in the $200 range.

She usually meets up with people in the middle of a mall, indoors and in a crowd. Safer for everyone.

[TexasBushwhacker]

21. There ya go n/t

[oneshooter]

18. Why did he have a firearm?

They were both football players, what were they afraid of? There is no mention of the 18 year old being armed, and to kill somebody for theft? When did that become a crime with a death sentence? They should have just given up the item, then call the police and report it.

[Codeine]

20. What were they afraid of?

Armed robbery, apparently.

[TexasBushwhacker]

22. It says in the article that the deceased pulled a gun on them n/t

[oneshooter]

26. No it does not.

The article only says that he pulled a "weapon" and did not supply any details.

[TexasBushwhacker]

28. Edit - new article, more details

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2018, 10:16 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.nola.com/crime/2018/12/how-do-louisiana-self-defense-laws-apply-in-fatal-shooting-involving-lsu-players.html

"Edwards-Helaire and Small were in the front seats of a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck while Johnson was in the back seat, police said. But instead of making the transaction, Johnson is accused of pulling out a gun and demanding the football players’ belongings.

One of the students – again, police haven’t said which one – was armed with a handgun and shot Johnson more than once. Johnson was still in the truck’s back seat when Baton Rouge police arrived, according to authorities. He was pronounced dead at the scene."

Regardless of what kind of weapon he pulled, he did it to attempt a robbery. Louisiana allows people to carry weapons in their cars. He made a deadly mistake.

[Polybius]

33. Even if it was a knife, so what?

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

[sarisataka]

23. The article doesn't say

If they tried to retreat. Two fit athletes surely could have tried to run away rather than making themselves judge, jury and executioner.

[former9thward]

25. A bullet travels faster than anyone running.

The players acted properly.

[MichMan]

31. Kind of hard to run away from someone in the back seat of your own pickup truck

[blitzen]

37. I live in Baton Rouge. That's not the way it works in parts of the city, especially in...

Scotlandville where this took place. Unfortunately this kind of robbery-murder attempt is a nearly daily occurrence, and the LSU players were very lucky that they succeeded in defending themselves. The guy whom they killed was about to play the executioner, with no thought of any due process for the victims he was robbing. Our DA (whom I know casually and whose personal politics are pretty far to the right) is a public servant of the highest integrity. If he determines self-defense, I think it will be a fair and just decision. Don't forget the players called 911 immediately, waited for the police, were questioned and not arrested.

[ripcord]

41. I don't understand why you are so anxious to condemn these young men

Who apparently just defended themselves against a robber who pulled a gun on them.

[christx30]

39. Can you guarantee that a robber

is going to take what he wants and just leaves? How do you know he won’t be one of those types that’ll kill, no matter what? I mean, would you bet your life on the good graces of someone with a weapon in your face? Personally, I’d assume the worst of someone like that.

The robber’s death was his fault alone. If he hadn’t of tried to rob two people, he’d still be alive.
And there is a difference between a capital offense and the possible real world consequences of stupid, destructive behavior. Armed robbery may not be a death penalty crime, but death is a possible result. Running a red light may not be a capital offense, but if an 18-wheeler slams into me because I choose not to stop, my death is my fault and no one else’s.

[oneshooter]

40. I was going acording to the information available on

the original post.

[AJT]

27. Tragic. Although justified, they will have to live with killing someone.

Watching someone die at your hands has to be traumatic no matter the circumstances.

[Elwood P Dowd]

32. You gave away a Lenco? Those were good tables back in the day.

There are audiophiles that refurbish/rebuild those things and swear by them.