Former NBA player Adreian Payne shot dead in Orlando
By Tina Burnside, Kevin Dotson and Amy Woodyatt, CNN
Former NBA player Adreian Payne was shot and killed in Orlando, according to authorities in Florida.
Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting just after 1 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, where they found Payne, 31, shot.
The gunman, who was later identified by police as Lawrence Dority, stayed at the scene and was transported to Orange County Sheriff’s Office headquarters where he was interviewed by homicide detectives.
Dority has been arrested on a warrant for First Degree Murder and transported to the Orange County Jail, according to the statement. It is unclear if he has an attorney on record at this time, and a motive for the shooting is not known.
Payne was a standout playing four seasons at center for the Michigan State Spartans, where his team twice won the Big Ten Conference Championship.
He was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and played four seasons in the NBA with the Hawks, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic.
He went on to play internationally, including in China, Greece, France, Turkey and Lithuania, according to a news release from Michigan State’s men’s basketball program.
“I’m in shock at the tragic news of Adreian Payne’s death,” Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo said in a statement. “Our prayers are with his family, teammates and loved ones,” he said.
“Adreian was loved by his teammates and coaches, who respected his development as a player and a person. He came to Michigan State with a ton of raw talent and put in the work to reach his goal of becoming an NBA player.
Izzo added that Payne would be remembered by Spartans fans for his “kind heart” and his friendship with Lacey Holsworth, an eight-year-old who had been stricken with neuroblastoma in 2012 before her passing in 2014.
“Today is a difficult and sad day for the Spartan basketball family. Following graduation, Adreian regularly returned to East Lansing,” Izzo added.
“In doing so, he developed and strengthened relationships with players from all eras. I’ve heard from many of those players today, each one experiencing heartbreak, and each one with their own fond memory of Adreian,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire
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