Former Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne died this week, and police have released information about what led to the tragedy.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida says Payne was shot and killed outside a home in Orlando early Monday morning. According to police documents obtained by TMZ, Payne was shot by a man named Lawrence Dority. A witness told police Payne went to Dority’s house to possibly play “mediator” after Dority and his girlfriend got into an argument. The witness said Dority and the woman “have a relationship where they argue often.”
Witnesses said Dority confronted Payne outside his home and told the former NBA player he “had no business being at his residence this late at night.” Dority said he took Payne’s presence as a threat. He told police that Payne made “movements with his right hand in the right side of his waist band” and threatened to “smoke you bra.”
Dority said he went into his house to retrieve a firearm after he felt Payne was threatening him. He fired one shot at Payne and then went back inside his house.
Payne was transported to a local hospital and died from his injuries. He was 31.
Dority said his actions were justified and that he was “protecting his family and protecting his home.” After investigating the incident, police say they do not believe him. They used witness accounts and surveillance footage to determine that Payne was not threatening Dority and that Payne did no have a weapon on him. Investigators have called the act a “premeditated killing.”
Dority was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday.
Payne played for Tom Izzo at Michigan State from 2010-2014. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Many will remember how Payne became close friends with 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth during his senior season when Holsworth was battling cancer. Holsworth died a week after she was Payne’s escort during Senior Night. Payne honored her with his outfit at the NBA Draft.
