Ronald Gasser, 54, was initially taken into custody after the shooting last Thursday but he was released without being charged, drawing heated criticism from protesters who said race played a role in the investigation. Gasser, who is white, was arrested late Monday. McKnight was black.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand pounded on a podium during a news conference explaining the investigation.

”This isn’t about race. Not a single witness has said … a single racial slur was uttered,” the sheriff said.

The case comes at a time of intense scrutiny in the African-American community about the shootings of black men, in particular by police. While this case doesn’t involve a police shooting, it has flared temperatures and drawn protests at the sheriff’s department.

It’s not clear whether Gasser has an attorney. Attempts to reach Gasser’s family unsuccessful Tuesday.

The sheriff said the dispute between the men started on a bridge and proceeded into a New Orleans suburb, with both men driving erratically and yelling at each other. Eventually, the cars came to a stop and McKnight confronted Gasser, who was still seated in his car, the sheriff said. Gasser pulled out a gun and shot McKnight three times, killing him. When deputies arrived, the sheriff said Gasser handed them his gun and said he shot McKnight, 28.

The sheriff said McKnight did have a gun in his vehicle but no evidence suggested he insinuated anything about it. It was his stepfather’s gun, and his stepfather’s vehicle.

During the news conference, the sheriff read aloud some of the derogatory remarks about the investigation, including racially charged comments.

”We have sometimes unrealistic expectations of how these things work … you don’t just run out and start slapping cuffs on people,” Normand said.

He noted that on Thursday, Gasser gave authorities a statement that included him being fearful and defending himself, saying that McKnight had made threatening comments. At that point, authorities hadn’t interviewed any independent witnesses. One person they had talked to lied to authorities about what happened, the sheriff said.

Normand said had an arrest been made Thursday, he was certain people would be afraid to come forward. Instead, authorities identified more than 250 people they wanted to talk to by identifying license plates in the area at the time, and conducted more than 160 interviews. The sheriff said several witnesses were the key to making the arrest and made comments contradicting Gasser’s statements.

He also pointed out that Gasser didn’t ask for an attorney but instead sat with authorities for over ten hours of interviews in the days after the shooting and gave permission for them to search his home.

McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Jets held a moment of silence Monday night before their game against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium to honor the former running back.

McKnight was rated the nation’s No. 1 running back recruit when he signed with the University of Southern California. He was a fourth-round draft pick of the Jets in 2010 and played three seasons for New York. McKnight had a 107-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2011, and it remains the longest play in Jets history.

He also spent a season with Kansas City, and most recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

McKnight’s death was eerily similar to that of former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith, who was killed last April in a shooting sparked by a traffic altercation. Cardell Hayes is charged with second-degree murder.

A decade ago, Gasser was involved in a similar altercation – at the same intersection – with a driver. The sheriff said that in February 2006, a man observed a truck driving erratically and called a number on the truck, speaking to a man later identified as Gasser.

Gasser and the man got into a fight on the phone and then Gasser followed the man to a service station, confronted him and hit him several times. Gasser drove away and the victim called 911.

Investigators found Gasser and issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery, which was later dismissed. Authorities have said they are trying to determine why it was dismissed.

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Joe McKnight, 28, was shot Thursday afternoon in Terrytown, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. Authorities identified Ronald Gasser, 54, who stayed at the scene, as the shooter and released him overnight.

At a news conference Friday, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the altercation started on a nearby bridge and proceeded into the New Orleans suburb.

Witnesses reported hearing rapid gunfire after the two men were in a heated argument. Gasser shot McKnight three times from inside his car while McKnight stood outside. No charges have been filed, and some have criticized the sheriff for releasing Gasser.

Morris Reed Sr., president of the New Orleans branch of the NAACP, was part of a small group of protesters outside the sheriff’s office Friday. He said they would ask the Department of Justice to open an independent investigation into the shooting.

”Until someone is charged with a crime, justice is not served,” he said on local media.

Dozens of people gathered at the scene of the shooting Friday night, holding hands in prayer and lighting candles. One woman held a sign saying ”This is murder.”

Normand defended his handling of the case, saying they would investigate thoroughly. Speaking of Gasser’s release, the sheriff said the state has certain ”statutes” that provide a defense to certain crimes but did not go into detail.

Normand rejected accounts in local media speculating about the shooting. He said there’s no video of the incident and Gasser did not stand over McKnight, firing. Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich said McKnight’s three wounds were not consistent with being shot from above.

When asked whether the state’s ”stand your ground” law will play a role, Normand said: ”It is one of the issues that looms on the horizon,” before saying he didn’t want to give an opinion.

”Stand your ground” laws give people wide latitude to use deadly force when they believe they are in danger. Dane Ciolino, a Loyola University law professor in New Orleans, says under such laws people ”engaged in lawful activity in a place where they have a lawful right to be, don’t have to retreat.”

He said it ”… boils down to whether the killing is necessary for this man to save his life.”

Authorities have said McKnight didn’t have a weapon on or near him when found.

But news that Gasser has been involved in a similar altercation – at the same intersection – with a driver a decade ago will likely raise further questions about who was the aggressor.

Normand said in a press release late Friday that in February 2006, a man observed a truck driving erratically and called a number on the truck, speaking to a man later identified as Gasser.

Gasser and the man got into a fight on the phone and then Gasser followed the man to a service station, confronted him and hit him several times. Gasser drove away and the victim called 911.

Investigators found Gasser and issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery, which was later dismissed. Authorities said they are trying to determine why it was dismissed.

McKnight’s grandmother, Barbara Franklin, said relatives are ”trying to find out our own selves” just what happened and why Gasser was released.

”He might be released now, but God is going to bring about justice in it,” she said by phone.

McKnight’s death was eerily similar to that of former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith who was killed last April in a shooting sparked by a traffic altercation.

The man accused of shooting Smith goes on trial Monday in New Orleans. The discrepancy in how the two shooters were treated stood out for Kawanee Holmes, of Gretna, Louisiana who came to the intersection where McKnight was shot to leave balloons and flowers with a friend.

”It wasn’t justified what he did. He could have defused the situation by driving away,” Holmes said.

McKnight is black and Gasser is white, authorities said. Normand denied race played a role, pointing out that the man who raised McKnight used to be a sheriff’s deputy and many people in the department are close to his family.

McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent this season in the Canadian Football League. He was considered the nation’s No. 1 running back recruit when he came out of Louisiana in 2006 and signed with the University of Southern California.

Former teammates in New York remembered McKnight fondly.

”I enjoyed the time when he was here and getting to know him as a person. I think it’s going to hurt his son the most and that’s what is really bothering me – knowing that a kid will have to grow up without his dad,” said Muhammad Wilkerson.

The Jets plan a moment of silence before Monday’s game to honor McKnight.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll coached McKnight at USC and said he had talked with McKnight just three weeks ago in California.

”He had a great heart, he was a great kid, he was fun to be around, fun loving but you just knew he had a lot of stuff to overcome and he was making it,” Carroll said. ”We’re going to miss him greatly,” Carroll said.

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Associated Press reporters Jeff Amy in Jackson, Mississippi, Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, New Jersey, and Tim Booth contributed to this report.

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Follow Rebecca Santana on Twitter (at)ruskygal.

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Joe McKnight was shot Thursday afternoon in Terrytown, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. Authorities identified 54-year-old Ronald Gasser, who stayed at the scene, as the shooter and released him overnight, sparking criticism.

At a news conference Friday, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the altercation that ended with McKnight’s death started on a nearby bridge – possibly when one of the two men cut the other off – and then proceeded into streets of the New Orleans suburb. He didn’t say which driver cut off the other.

Authorities said Gasser shot McKnight three times from inside his car with a semi-automatic handgun while McKnight was standing outside. Witnesses reported the two had been in a heated argument, the sheriff said.

Normand defended his handling of the case, saying the investigation was ongoing. No charges have been filed. Some protesters upset at Gasser’s release gathered outside the sheriff’s office earlier Friday.

Speaking of Gasser’s release, the sheriff said the state has certain ”statutes” that provide a defense to certain crimes but did not go into further detail.

”The easiest thing for me would have been `Book him, Danno.’ Right?” Normand said, referring to the police saying made popular on ”Hawaii Five-0.” But Normand urged caution.

”Mr. Gasser is not going anywhere. He has been completely cooperative with us in every request we have made,” he said. ”We will do a very through and deliberate investigation.”

But news late Friday that Gasser was involved in a similar altercation with a driver a decade ago will likely raise further questions about who was the aggressor.

Normand said in a press release late Friday that in February 2006, Gasser chased down and beat another driver in what appeared to be the same intersection where McKnight was shot and killed Thursday.

In the 2006 incident, a man observed a truck driving erratically and called a number on the truck, speaking to a man later identified as Gasser. Gasser and the man got into a fight on the phone and then Gasser followed the man to a service station, confronted him and hit him several times. Gasser drove away and the victim called 911.

Investigators found Gasser and issued a misdemeanor summons for simple battery, which was later dismissed. Authorities said they are trying to determine why it was dismissed.

Normand earlier Friday didn’t go into details from the investigation, saying he didn’t want to taint any prospective witnesses that might still come forward.

But he did reject a number of accounts in local media speculating about the shooting. In particular, Normand said there was no video of the incident and that Gasser did not stand over McKnight and fire shots into him.

Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich backed that up, saying Knight’s three wounds were not consistent with being shot from above.

McKnight’s grandmother said family members are still seeking information about the player’s death and why Gasser was released.

Barbara Franklin told The Associated Press relatives are ”trying to find out our own selves” just what happened. Of Gasser, she said by phone, ”He might be released now, but God is going to bring about justice in it.”

McKnight is the second former NFL player this year to die in the New Orleans area in an apparent road rage incident. Former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith was killed in a shooting last April sparked by a traffic altercation.

Normand said no gun was found outside either vehicle. A sheriff’s office spokesman, Col. John Fortunato, said authorities are searching both vehicles. Fortunato said McKnight didn’t have a weapon on his person or near his body when found.

Gasser couldn’t immediately be reached by The Associated Press.

His release raised questions about what exactly led to the shooting. Arthur A. Lemmann, a New Orleans-based attorney not connected to the case, cautioned that it was too early to tell but it could indicate Gasser says he acted in self-defense.

”It’s not the end of the matter … but what it indicates to me is that there was some basis to believe that the homicide was justified. And the most typical justification of a homicide is self-defense,” Lemmann said.

McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one with the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent this season in the Canadian Football League.

McKnight was considered the nation’s No. 1 running back recruit when he came out of Louisiana in 2006 and signed with the University of Southern California. He was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round in 2010.

In a mostly somber New York Jets locker room, former teammates remembered McKnight. Only a handful of players remain from those New York teams, but the impact McKnight left was clear.

”In my rookie year, he was like the first guy who actually talked to me here,” said quarterback Geno Smith, who was drafted in 2013. ”Joe was cool, man. He was funny. Just a real laid-back guy, always kept you laughing and always a smile on his face.”

A few veteran players declined to comment in the locker room because they were so upset by the news, but later issued statements through the team.

”My memories from him are working hard,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. ”He came in his rookie year and it was a little rocky for him trying to learn the system. And then his second year, he took off as an explosive kick returner and he won us numerous games.”

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Associated Press reporters Jeff Amy in Jackson, Mississippi, and Dennis Waszak Jr. in Florham Park, New Jersey contributed to this report.

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Follow Rebecca Santana on Twitter (at)ruskygal.

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