Former NBA player Adreian Payne was shot and killed in Orlando over a domestic dispute where he was simply trying to play peacemaker.
The girlfriend of the late NBA player said he was simply trying to stop any physical violence from happening between a woman and man.
“Payne’s girlfriend (whose name was redacted) had her version of events relayed in the Orange County, Fla., affidavit for arrest warrant of Lawrence Dority, who admitted to the shooting but pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder,” NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman wrote.
“According to the document, Payne’s girlfriend was asked to come to Dority’s residence by Dority’s girlfriend (Tatiana Mesa). Payne’s girlfriend said Dority and Mesa argued often and Payne’s girlfriend had previously served as a ‘mediator’ to prevent physical violence. (Dority said he was in a relationship with a woman named Tara, a friend of Mesa).
“Dority said he returned home that night to find Payne outside the residence. Dority said he saw the shape of a gun under Payne’s shirt and Payne said ‘I’ll smoke you bra.’ Dority said Payne – who was listed at 6-foot-10, 237 pounds in the NBA – looked intimidating due to his size. Dority went inside his house, got his gun then shot Payne.
“Dority called 911, said a man tried to come into his house and shoot him then said he shot the man.”
Dority has been arrested on a warrant for First Degree Murder.
According to the Orange County Sherriff’s Department, Payne was unarmed when he was shot and killed by Dority. He was just 31 years old.
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.
After his NBA career was over, he went and played internationally for China, Greece, France, Turkey and Lithuania.
