Current Toronto Argonauts linebacker Jeff Knox Jr. is allegedly a wanted man in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Lauren Lee, Knox Jr. has been charged with multiple criminal offences.
Police obtained an arrest warrant Friday for Jeffrey Ali Knox Jr., 28, in connection to a shooting on Oct. 23. He is being charged with two counts of attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, possession and a firearms violation.
On Oct. 23, Zone 3 police officers responded around 11:51 p.m. to a ShotSpotter alert and 911 calls for two people shot in the 1700 block of East Carson Street.
Responding officers found two men with gunshot wounds at the intersection of East Carson and 17th streets. One of the men sustained a gunshot wound to the right thigh, and the other a gunshot wound to the left thigh.
The first victim was transported to a local hospital in critical but stable condition, and the other also was transported to another hospital in stable condition.
At the scene, detectives found three shell casings, according to a criminal complaint.
Detectives also found footage from city cameras and private businesses of the shooting, and the events following, according to the complaint.
Police say the shooting occurred on the 1600 block of East Carson Street.
Before the shooting, police said in the complaint the footage showed that a verbal altercation occurred between a man in a grey shirt — identified as the shooter — and one of the victims, noting the shooter shoved the victim. Police then observed the suspect hit the first victim in the face and then raised a gun in his right hand toward the second victim. Police observed the shooter lowering the gun and the second victim falling to the ground, according to the complaint.
Police then said the suspect lean forward, followed by the second victim making a “distinctive raising motion with his right leg,” according to the complaint.
Immediately following the shooting, police say the suspect fled west on East Carson Street, where he was picked up by a black Dodge Ram Rebel, according to the complaint. Police said a detective was able to trace some of the path of the shooter’s vehicle and found its license plate, according to the complaint.
On Oct. 27, McKeesport police notified detectives that they had seen the vehicle. A McKeesport officer then stopped the vehicle and transported the driver to Pittsburgh Police headquarters for questioning. The driver, identified as the first witness, told investigators a man nicknamed “Jay,” who was later identified as Mr. Knox, entered his car following the shooting, according to the complaint.
Police also found more footage after the shooting of a person, who appeared to be consistent with previous images of the shooter, leaving the Dodge Ram and into a dark vehicle around 11:52 p.m., according to the complaint.
Police were able to trace the dark vehicle’s license plate registration back to Mr. Knox. Detectives also discovered Knox has an active Protection From Abuse order and that his license to carry a firearm had expired in January 2019.
Knox Jr. signed with the Argos in February. He’s played in 54 career CFL games with Saskatchewan, Toronto and Ottawa making 236 tackles, 42 special teams tackles, three sacks and one interception. The six-foot-two, 225-pound Knox Jr. went unselected in the 2014 NFL draft and made his way to Canada the following season.
His best season came with the Roughriders in 2015, Knox Jr. had 112 tackles, 10 special teams stops and one interception in 18 games. That production earned Knox Jr. as West Division all-star selection as well as being voted Saskatchewan’s Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Rookie.
The Argos provided a statement to 3DownNation regarding the Knox Jr. charges: “We take these matters very seriously and we are currently looking into it and determining the appropriate next steps for our team.”
