Ex-College Football Player Killed After Allegedly Stabbing Police Officer
Former Boise State running back Jack Fields Jr. was shot to death by a Richmond County, Georgia, sheriff’s deputy after he repeatedly stabbed the deputy Thursday. He was 25.
Around 8 p.m., authorities were called to a Residence Inn in Augusta for a report of “trouble with subject,” according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation news release.
When Sheriff’s Deputy Stephan Psillos arrived at the scene, he tried to place handcuffs on Fields, who resisted arrest, the GBI said.
Fields then pulled a knife from his coat and stabbed Psillos “multiple times,” the report said.
Psillos pulled out his service revolver and shot Fields, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Former Boise State RB Jack Fields Jr. Killed at Age 25 After Stabbing D… #BSUBroncos https://t.co/b8P7jWoeNH pic.twitter.com/veWiuvit5t
— Boise St FB Report (@boisestfb_fanly) November 17, 2018
The deputy, for his part, was treated at a nearby hospital Thursday night for a stab wound to his shoulder and a laceration on his scalp, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
For Fields, it brings to a close a troubled life with a history of violence.
He played for the Broncos between the 2012 and 2015 seasons, where he ran for a total of just 336 yards on 109 career carries, a 3.1 average per attempt.
While in school, he reportedly knocked a teammate unconscious in the locker room, establishing the pattern of behavior that would eventually be his undoing.
According to the Idaho Statesman, Fields’ teammates spoke of the deceased’s mental health issues in the wake of the shooting.
Quarterback Brett Rypien, who was a freshman during Fields’ senior year, weighed in.
“A great teammate. I think a guy that struggled with mental health a little bit,” Rypien said. “It was really hard to hear that. … You’ve got to keep continuing to raise awareness for mental health. It seemed like he didn’t really have anybody that he could talk to or get help with.”
Former running back Jeremy McNichols spoke of Fields’ troubles after leaving the school.
“I know he went through some things after he left Boise State. I think it really hit afterward, the transition after football. You do go through something when you lose that. He loved to play.”
Tyler Rausa, who played from 2013 to 2016, took to Twitter with his thoughts.
You can’t condone the actions taken. But, Jack left the program different then when he came in. Worked harder than anyone I’ve ever known. It’s sad that he truly could not get help for his mental health. It was real, and all of his brothers could see it.
— Tyler Stephen Rausa??? (@T_Rausa) November 16, 2018
The simple fact remains, however, that understanding attitudes toward mental health won’t change the fact that a man stabbed a cop. For a police officer in the heat of the moment, the only course available was the one taken.
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