Former NFL Player Travis Rudolph Arrested In Connection To Shooting That Left Man Dead

Former NFL wide receiver Travis Rudolph has been arrested after allegedly firing a weapon at four people, striking two, and killing one, following an altercation at his Florida home this week.

Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of a double shooting shortly after midnight on Wednesday, April 7 in Lake Park, the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office wrote in a press release.  

“Upon arrival deputies learned that one male was transported to a local hospital for treatment and another male was located a short distance away deceased in the city of West Palm Beach,” the press release states.

Both men had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained on Thursday by Oxygen.com. 

A witness told investigators that it all began when Rudolph’s girlfriend called the man who eventually died, claiming that she had been in a physical altercation with the former football player. Following that phone call, the victim and three others went to Rudolph’s home unarmed to speak with him, but the conversation soon became an argument. The 25-year-old then allegedly retrieved a rifle from the inside of his home and began firing shots at the car as the four drove away. 

Travis Rudolph works out for NFL Scouts and Coaches during Florida State Pro Day at the Dunlap Training Facility on the campus of FSU on March 28, 2017. Photo: Getty Images

According to the affidavit, the vehicle was disabled by gunfire. The deceased man was found "slumped over and unresponsive."

The other two individuals were not injured in the shooting. The names of the victims have not been released and the surviving shooting victim is in stable condition. At least one of the victims said he only knew Rudolph through social media.  

The former football player has been jailed on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.  He is being held on no bond. Rudolph’s first court appearance is scheduled for April 8. It's unclear at this time if he has obtained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.  

Rudolph was a star college football player for Florida State and had a brief stint in the NFL with the New York Giants. Rudolph signed on as a wide receiver for the Canadian Football League's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 but has yet to play a game. 

The team confirmed via a tweet that Rudolph was no longer with the organization. 

"The organization was made aware of Travis Rudolph's arrest this morning and he has subsequently been released," Darren Cameron, a spokesman for the Blue Bombers, tweeted on Wednesday. 

Rudolph's father, Darryl Rudolph, was killed at a Florida nightclub in 2017 after a gun was accidentally discharged, ESPN reports.