Former LSU Football Star Kyren Lacy Died by Suicide After Leading Police on a Chase, Authorities Say

Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy died of an apparent suicide after leading Houston-area police on a chase on Saturday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told PEOPLE.

Lacy, 24, was found dead by deputies with the Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office at approximately 11:35 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, after he crashed his car near the 25900 block of Aldine Westfield, about 25 miles north of downtown Houston.

The 2025 NFL Draft prospect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said. 

About a half hour earlier, deputies with the department responded to a weapons disturbance call in the 9300 block of FM 1960, where a female family member had alerted authorities that Lacy had been involved in a verbal argument with her and had discharged a firearm into the ground.

When deputies with the sheriff’s department arrived, they learned Lacy had fled the scene.

Authorities were able to locate his vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop when Lacy led them on a pursuit before crashing his car.

The sheriff’s office added that “preliminary information indicates that Lacy shot himself during the pursuit and prior to the vehicle crashing.”

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Body camera and an in-dash mounted video showed that no shots were fired after the pursuit ended, the sheriff’s department said.

The civil rights division of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office was notified and is investigating the case, and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will conduct an autopsy on Lacy, authorities said.

Lacy’s death came two days before a grand jury in Louisiana was expected to begin hearing evidence regarding a Dec. 17, 2024 car accident that killed a former marine. The Louisiana native was accused of causing the crash and then fleeing the scene without rendering aid or calling authorities. He then declared for the 2025 NFL Draft two days after the incident.

In January, Lacy was charged with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. He was later released on bail.

Following the athlete’s death on Saturday, family members and his former school shared their collective grief about his death.

“We’re saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU Football student-athlete Kyren Lacy,” the school said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing.”

Meanwhile, Kyren’s father, Kenny Lacy, urged parents keep the lines of communication open with their children.

“Mental health is real, and for the most part, it’s invisible, don’t ignore the signs, even if they may seem small,” Kenny Lacy wrote Facebook. “Our lives have changed forever and this will never be ok, but God needed my baby more than he was needed here.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.