(CNN) — Former NBA player Adreian Payne was shot to death in Orlando, according to Florida authorities.
Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a shooting shortly after 1 a.m. ET and found Payne, 31, shot and wounded.
The shooter, later identified by police as Lawrence Dority, remained at the scene and was taken to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office headquarters where he was questioned by homicide detectives.
Payne, playing for the Orlando Magic, in action during an NBA game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on December 20, 2017.
Dority was booked on a first-degree murder warrant and booked into the Orange County Jail, according to the release. It is unclear if he has an attorney on file at this time, and the motive for the shooting is unknown.
Payne excelled playing four seasons as a center for the Michigan State Spartans, where his team twice won the Big Ten Conference Championship.
He was selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks and played four seasons in the NBA with the Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic.
He went on to play internationally, including in China, Greece, France, Turkey and Lithuania, according to a news release from the Michigan State men’s basketball program.
Payne of Lyon and Kevin Punter of Belgrado during the Euroliga match between ASVEL and Crvena Zvezda el 10 de enero de 2020 in Villeurbanne, France. (Photo by Romain Biard/Icon Sport)
“I am shocked by the tragic news of the death of Adreian Payne,” Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo said in a statement. “Our prayers are with his family, teammates and loved ones,” he said.
“Adreian was well loved by his teammates and coaches, who respected his development as a player and as a person. He came to Michigan State with a lot of raw talent and worked hard to achieve his goal of becoming an NBA player,” he said.
Izzo added that Payne will be remembered by Spartans fans for his “kind heart” and his friendship with Lacey Holsworth, an 8-year-old girl who was stricken with neuroblastoma in 2012 before her death in 2014.
“Today is a difficult and sad day for the Spartans basketball family. Following his graduation, Adreian regularly returned to East Lansing,” Izzo added.
“In doing so, he developed and strengthened relationships with players from all eras. I have listened to many of those players today, each experiencing heartbreak, and each with their own memory of Adreian.”
