Kyren Lacy was less than two weeks from the highly-anticipated 2025 NFL Draft later this month. The Louisiana State University athlete was expected to be a wide receiver prospect for the pro football league. However, early Sunday (April 13), Houston police reportedly found him deceased from an alleged self-inflicted wound, per reports from WAFB and TMZ. He was 24 years old. Kyren’s father, Kenny Lacy, has now broken his silence on his son’s passing with a strong message about mental health. Meanwhile, the deceased’s lawyer has spoken on his pending charges stemming from a fatal car crash last year.
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Kenny Lacy Breaks His Silence With THESE Words
Kenny Lacy spoke out via social media early Sunday morning. By then, reports had already populated about Kyren’s death. The father aimed his message at “young parents,” encouraging them to foster an open, communicative relationship. Kenny urged parents not to be satisfied with simple answers like “I’m alright, or I’m good.”
“Mental Health is real, and for the most part, it’s invisible; don’t ignore the signs, even if they may seem small,” Kenny Lacy wrote.
The father then reacted to his son’s passing, saying that their lives “have changed forever.” Within 22 hours, his post received over 10,000 reactions, nearly 2,000 comments, and almost 6,000 shares.
“…This will never be ok, but God needed my baby more than he was needed here,” Kenny wrote. Adding, “This has to be the biggest pill our families have had to swallow but I know the love and compassion in our families will get us through. This will never get easier, but we’ll learn to live with it. Check on your kids mental!!!!!!!!!!!”
Lawyer Speaks On Kyren’s Pending Charges & Death
At the time of his death, Kyren Lacy was facing three charges for a hit-and-run on December 17 that claimed the life of a 78-year-old man. Those charges included negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run, and reckless operation of a vehicle. Kyren died ahead of a grand jury hearing in the case that was scheduled for Monday (April 14), per WAFB.
His lawyer, Matthew Ory, released a statement to the same outlet following the NFL prospect’s death. It began by confirming the 24-year-old’s passing, then requesting privacy for the family. Additionally, it confirmed the grand jury hearing mentioned above. Ory stated that he was “very confident” that the evidence the grand jury was supposed to hear would’ve led to “a declination of charges.” Ory also SLAMMED the investigation led by police, calling it “an overzealous, targeted effort” and “witch hunt.” He also clarified that the D.A. involved in the case has not “formally charged” his client and that the decision to bring forth charges was “unjustified” and “disturbing.”
“Kyren was a young man with immense promise, and he was crushed under the weight of an irresponsible and prejudiced process,” Matthew Ory wrote. “The negative barrage on social media, the circulation of his mugshot by nearly every news outlet rather than a standard photo, the recent civil lawsuit filed against him that named another defendant who mysteriously wasn’t charged with a crime, only him, and the overall tone of coverage painted a deeply biased picture before he ever had the chance to defend himself. There was never a presumption of innocence, which was exemplified by the NFL pulling his draft card over mere accusations without affording him the slightest chance to defend himself. The pressure and perception likely became unbearable. Let us be absolutely clear: This is far from over. We will be demanding a full and transparent review of how this investigation was conducted and why. Those responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice must and will be held accountable.”
For clarity, Kyren Lacy declared his intention for the draft in December, and despite Ory’s statement, the NFL hadn’t publicly removed him from the draft pool.
RELATED: LSU Wide Receiver Kyren Lacy Faces Charges For Alleged Involvement In Deadly Car Crash That Claimed Elderly Man’s Life
More Alleged Details About Kyren Lacy’s Death
Kyren Lacy’s death appears to still be under investigation. However, TMZ and WAFB have, respectively, cited documents and law enforcement sources that claim the LSU wide receiver died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. TMZ further reports that the incident began with a police pursuit after a 911 call on Saturday at around 11:15 p.m. In the alleged phone call, a woman reported an argument between herself, Kyren Lacy, and her family member. She claimed that Lacy fired a gun into the ground before taking off.
According to TMZ, Houston cops later attempted to pull the 24-year-old over, but he sped off, leading to a car pursuit. Ultimately, Kyren Lacy crashed, and when officials checked the vehicle, they allegedly found him deceased from “what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” A handgun was recovered from inside the car. Note that the local medical examiner’s office has not yet declared Lacy’s cause of death.
