Former NBA Player Gunned Down By Man Claiming Self-Defense

Orlando, FL – Security video captured the frantic 911 call made by the mother of former Michigan State legend and National Basketball League (NBA) player Adreian Payne after her son was fatally shot early on Monday morning (video below).

The incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on May 9 in the 2500-block of Egret Shores Drive in the Econ Landing neighborhood, the New York Post reported.

Arrest documents showed that the 31-year-old Payne and his girlfriend had been asked to come to the townhome community at the request of the girlfriend of 29-year-old Lawrence Dority to serve as mediators and help prevent violence, WESH reported.

Then an altercation occurred between Payne and Dority, according to deputies.

Dority told Orange County sheriff’s deputies that Payne got in his face and “was intimidating due to his size,” WESH reported.

He told deputies that Payne threatened, “I’ll smoke you, brah,” and that made Dority think the former Orlando Magic player had a gun.

Investigators said Payne did not have a gun, WESH reported.

But Dority said he didn’t know that when he walked into his house, got a gun, and then went back outside to fatally shoot the former basketball player.

Surveillance video captured an argument that took place just before the shooting, WOFL reported.

Then a gunshot can be heard and two people are seen fleeing down the street on foot.

Payne’s mother called 911, the video showed.

“Please help me, help me,” she told the dispatcher. “He shot my son dead. Help me! I don’t know the address. He shot him. He just died. Please help me!”

Investigators said that Dority remained on the scene and was taken into custody when police arrived, WESH reported.

Payne was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“Dority stated he was protecting his family and protecting his home. Dority stated his actions were justified,” the police report read.

Witnesses told investigators that Payne wasn’t threatening Dority in any way when he was shot, WOFL reported.

Dority was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Deputies booked him into the Orange County Jail, WOFL reported.

Payne played four seasons in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Orlando Magic, the New York Post reported.

He played four years at Michigan State and was Second-Team All Big Ten in his junior and senior seasons.

Payne and Michigan State won Big Ten tournament titles in 2012 and 2014, the New York Post reported.

He was selected 15th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Watch the incident unfold in the video below: