Parents of slain N’western St. player file lawsuit

The parents of slain Northwestern State football player Ronnie Caldwell Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit late Friday, naming former coach Brad Laird, the state of Louisiana through the board of supervisors of Northwestern State, and the apartment complex where Caldwell lived as defendants.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court Western District Louisiana. The lawsuit includes counts of premises liability and vicarious liability, according to the complaint reviewed by ESPN.

Caldwell’s parents, Ronnie Caldwell Sr. and Blanche Bradley, announced last week they planned to file the suit in the wake of their son’s death on Oct. 12. Their announcement came a day after the school announced it was canceling the rest of the football season and that Laird, who was in his sixth year as the head coach, had resigned.

“We are aware of the lawsuit filed by the family of Ronnie Caldwell,” Northwestern State said in a statement. “While we cannot comment on the lawsuit at this time, our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Ronnie’s family following this terrible tragedy.”

In early October, mold was discovered in the off-campus apartment Caldwell shared with a teammate, which resulted in him being moved to a new unit in the same complex with a non-university student roommate, according to the complaint. On Oct. 9, after a series of verbal altercations, the new roommate pulled a gun on Caldwell, the complaint said. Three days later, Caldwell was shot and died.

The roommate, John McIntosh, was arrested that day for possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. No one has been charged with the killing.

“All I have to say is this could have been prevented,” Ronnie Caldwell Sr. said during a news conference last week. “I called the coach. I texted him and asked him, ‘Please move my son. Somebody pulled a gun. I need you to move him. Get him away from there. Get him in a hotel until I can get there. I’ll be there this weekend.’

“Next thing I know, the next phone call I get from this man is at 2:07 a.m. and my son is deceased. Now, how do you feel being a man like me? I call myself being protector. I’ve been protecting my whole family all their life and I get this call and all I asked him to do is to move my son. What’s so hard?”

Natchitoches police also arrested Caldwell’s Northwestern State teammate, Maurice Campbell II, in connection to his death for obstruction of justice, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance.

The lawsuit requests a jury trial and seeks monetary damages to compensate for mental anguish, pecuniary loss, loss of consortium and funeral expenses among other losses.

Laird spent six seasons as an NSU assistant before becoming head coach in 2018.

“Due to the loss of Ronnie and the emotional burden it has caused me, I don’t feel I can give my all to these players or this program,” Laird said in a statement last week. “Any coach will tell you that their players become like family, so the loss of Ronnie was like losing a son. I love this program and this university and I know it will persevere and move forward with the competitive spirit that is at the core of our DNA.”

The lawyer representing Caldwell’s parents, Troy Pradia, took issue with Laird’s characterization of his relationship with Caldwell in a news conference last week.

“If he was like a son, he would’ve protected him,” Pradia said. “All his father wanted was his son to be moved to a safer location.”

The team’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, Weston Glaser, is currently serving as the interim head coach.

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