La’Andre Thomas, a former Memphis defensive back, was shot by law enforcement on Thursday in Sandy Springs, Georgia, and later died at a local hospital, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The GBI said Thomas was initially in critical condition but was pronounced dead later on Thursday.
Officers responded at about 10:30 a.m. to a 911 call reporting that a man had assaulted a woman who was walking her dog. Police later located the man, identified as Thomas, at a bus stop, where he engaged in conversation with officers. During the discussion, Thomas pulled a handgun from his waistband, the GBI said. An officer then shot Thomas, injuring him. No officers were hurt.
Thomas, a Jackson, Mississippi native, played for Memphis from 2017 to 2019, and totaled 60 tackles during his final season for the Tigers while starting 14 games for the Cotton Bowl appearing Tigers.
“The GBI will conduct an independent investigation. Once the investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for review,” the press release said.
“Thomas’s body will be taken to the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy,” it said.
