Footage Of The "Hit And Run" Prior To Will Smith's Shooting

NYDN - A hit-and-run may have sparked a deadly road rage shooting that killed retired Saints player Will Smith during a night on the town in New Orleans. Surveillance footage obtained by WVUE-TV captures what appears to be the former defensive end’s SUV bumping into a Hummer at 11:21 p.m. — eight minutes before the assault. Smith and his wife Racquel Joseph Smith had just left a Garden District restaurant in a Mercedes Benz before the fatal confrontation. Suspected shooter Cardell Hayes was driving a Hummer H2 at the time of Saturday’s shooting, police said. After the minor fender-bender, the Hummer’s driver pulled over expecting the other driver to do the same, but instead, the video shows the driver speeding away and the Hummer following in pursuit. The video bears similarity to a narrative described by defense attorney Jay Fuller on Monday, when he said Hayes called 911 while chasing another vehicle after a hit-and-run.  Fuller argued Hayes was not the aggressor in the weekend shooting. If Fuller’s statement is to be believed, the Hummer caught up to Smith’s SUV and smashed into it from behind. The impact sent Smith’s vehicle careening into a third vehicle, according to New Orleans police.

Not like there’s any sort of reason that could justify Will Smith’s death, but goddam if thats what led to his death thats a real shame. I mean you see a headline about “footage of the hit and run” and you expect it to be something substantial. Some sort of car wreck where there was substantial damage or potential for injury and one party sped off. Nope. A gentle fender bender. Little love tap. And now someone is gone over that. The world is a terrible, stupid, terrible place.

I still feel like theres more to the story than just this little bump. All the footage of them tailing each other seemed bizarre too. But regardless of the second accident or whatever the final moments were like, its infuriating to think that this little bump was what led to a murder.