Juan Joseph, 27, pictured with his wife and daughter. (Photo courtesy of St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools)
West St. John High School quarterback coach and former Millsaps College football star Juan Joseph, 27, was shot and killed outside of Allure nightclub in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 16, according to news reports.
“Information given to us through witnesses was that he was trying to deescalate the situation occurring between his two friends and the driver of the vehicle,” Baton Rouge police Cpl. L’Jean McKneely told The Clarion Ledger.
That driver, Lemark Cloud, 25, is being charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder, accessory after the fact to illegal use of a weapon and accessory after the fact to felon in possession of a firearm.
The alleged gunman, who turned himself in to police, was Lemark’s cousin Kendric Cloud, who was just released from jail on Nov. 5. Kendric has been arrested for connection in the killing of Joseph and charged with second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm.
The alleged gunman, Kendric Cloud (left) and Lemark Cloud.
“While in the parking lot inside of a vehicle and one of the witnesses got into a verbal altercation after struck the witness with his vehicle,” the officer noted in the probable cause report according to NewsOne.
“The driver then got out of his vehicle and showed a gun to and friends in the process. attempted to diffuse the situation by telling his friends to leave as they weren’t interested in fighting,” the officer continued.
“, the front seat passenger, then exited the vehicle and shot without cause or justification to do so.”
Joseph graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance, and a master’s in business administration. He won the Conerly Trophy in 2008, an award given out to the top college football player in the state.