NEW ORLEANS, LA, May 28, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — A promising New Orleans Pelicans guard, Bryce Dejean-Jones, was shot an killed Saturday morning after kicking down the door of an apartment in Dallas, according to police.
Dallas Police issued a statement saying at approximately 3:20 a.m., officers responded to the 2500 block of Bennett Avenue regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found a man who had been shot.
The resident of the apartment told police the intruder had kicked open his front door and entered his apartment while he was sleeping in the bedroom. He heard the stranger enter, so the resident retrieved his handgun as he called out to the intruder, but no one answered. The stranger then kicked open the bedroom door, and the resident fired his gun.
The intruder left the apartment and collapsed in the breezeway. He was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
The man was later identified as Bryce Dejean-Jones.
In a press release issued by the Pelican’s management and posted to their twitter reads:
“It is with great sadness that the Pelican’s organization acknowledges the sudden passing of Bryce Dejean-Jones. We are devastated at the loss of this young man’s life who had such a promising future ahead of him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryce’s family during this difficult time.”
Dejean-Jones, 23, played college basketball at USC, UNLV and Iowa State. He played for the Pelicans during Las Vegas Summer League and signed a deal with their D-League, Idaho Stampede, off of waivers, in December, according to bleacherrport.com.
Dejean-Jones signed a 10-day contract in January and appeared in 14 games with 11 starts until a wrist injury ended his first season in February.
He had just signed a three-year contract with the Pelican’s just before surgery to repair his injury, and officially started with the Pelican’s on Feb. 4.
