HOUSTON, Texas – A law firm representing the family of a slain NSU student is in the beginning stages of preparing a lawsuit, accusing the university, football coach and others of failing to act to prevent their son’s death.
Ronnie Caldwell Jr.’s death was “senseless and preventable,” his mother, Blanche Caldwell said Friday during a news conference at the family’s attorney’s office.
Ronnie Caldwell Sr. also called his son’s death preventable. He recalled the call from his son asking for help then a call three days later telling him his son was dead. In between, Caldwell Sr. thought his son’s concerns were being addressed.
“There was no action at all taken,” Caldwell Sr. said.
Ronnie Caldwell Jr., 21, was killed on Oct. 12 in his apartment at the Quad Apartments, an off-campus complex across the highway from Northwestern State University.
No one has been charged in his death; however, two men – one described by Natchitoches police as Caldwell Jr.’s teammate and the other as a roommate – have been arrested on gun and drug charges.
Thursday, NSU announced it had canceled the remainder of the Demon football season, and head coach Brad Laird had resigned.
Attorney Tony Pradia, of the Houston-based Cox Pradia Law Firm PLLC, said during the news conference it is the family’s belief NSU and Laird did nothing to protect Caldwell Jr. He would not disclose details of a proposed lawsuit but expects to name NSU, Laird, the apartment complex management company and any others they fell are responsible for Caldwell Jr.’s death, he said.
In response to the news conference, NSU released the following statement: “We are aware of today’s press conference held by the Caldwell family. The cause of Ronnie’s death is still under active investigation by the Natchitoches Police Department, and it would be inappropriate for us to comment or speculate at this time. The police have our full cooperation and support. We continue to send our deepest condolences and sympathy to the Caldwell family, and we remain focused on helping our student-athletes and the broader NSU community to heal from this tragedy.”
According to Pradia, Caldwell Jr. had been living in the Quad Apartment complex but was moved to a new apartment because of mold. The apartment complex houses students and non-students, and Caldwell Jr.’s new roommate was a non-student, who according to Pradia had previous run-ins with law enforcement.
Caldwell Jr. contacted his father by phone on Oct. 9 to tell him his new roommate threatened him with a gun. His father called Laird, who responded he would move his son. Three days later Caldwell Sr. got a call from Laird telling him his son had been killed, Pradia said.
“All his father wanted was for his son to be moved to a safer location,” said Pradia, who also recalled a statement from Laird who said Caldwell Jr. was like a son to him. If so, Laird should have protected him, Pradia said.
Pradia said it was a “shame” some of the basketball players, who also live in the apartment complex, had to witness Caldwell Jr. “be murdered.” He also complained about the response time of the ambulance.
If Caldwell Jr.’s complaint about being threatened at gunpoint by his roommate had been reported to campus police by Laird or to Natchitoches police then there could have been a more immediate response and possible arrest, Pradia said. Threatening someone at gunpoint is aggravated assault, he said.
Blanche Caldwell said she’s looking for answers to the lack of security which she believes should have been in place. When children are sent to college, the dream is for them to return better than how you sent them, she said.
“That’s not the way my kid came back home. Picture that. Imagine that’s your child. This has been a parent’s nightmare,” Blanche Caldwell said.
Caldwell Sr. said he begged Laird to do something and was making plans to drive to Natchitoches that weekend to check on his son.
“All I asked him to do was move my son,” Caldwell Sr. said he of Laird, even suggesting his son be put up in a hotel temporarily. Instead, he got call at 2:07 a.m. on Oct. 12 telling him his son was dead.
Pradia said he didn’t want to speculate on any specifics about the shooting. It’s still ongoing by Natchitoches police.
“Let them do their job. … We want the right person to be charged in his murder,” he said.
No one has been has been arrested on murder charges in Caldwell Jr.’s death. However, John McIntosh, 27, was arrested Oct. 12 for possession of a firearm in the presence of CDS, and Maurice Campbell II, 22, of Memphis, Tenn., was arrested Oct. 20 for obstruction of justice, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance. Guns, drugs and money were seized in Campbell’s arrest.
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Initial story:
NATCHITOCHES, La. — The family of murdered Northwestern State University footbally player Ronnie Caldwell Jr. will hold a news conference today to announce pending litigation, according to a report in the Natchitoches Parish Journal.
The announcement was made early this morning by the Cox Pradia Law Firm of Houston and its publicist. The news conference will be streamed live on Facebook at 1:30 p.m.
Caldwell was shot to death early on Oct. 12 at the Quad Apartment Complex in Natchitoches. He was a junior safety on the NSU football team and a business administration major from Austin, Texas.
Thursday, in the wake of the tragedy, the university announced it was canceling the remaining four games of the NSU football season. Head football coach Brad Laird also announced his resignation.
The Caldwell family released the following statement, giving its account of what happened to Ronnie Caldwell in the last days before his death:
“The Caldwell family is heartbroken as we recover from the process of laying our dear Ronnie to rest this past weekend. We ask that you continue to cover our family in prayer as forge ahead through this tragedy and live a life without our beloved son. We would like to share some background on the events that led up to the final days of Ronnie’s life and what we believe to be the cause of the resignation of Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, Louisiana) Head Football Coach Brad Laird.
“Due to mold in his unit at The Quad Apartment Complex, Ronnie was moved away from his original football teammate and roommate, was relocated to a new apartment within the same complex. The Quad Apartments are owned and managed by Campus Advantage, headquartered in Austin, Texas. Ronnie was somehow placed with a new roommate, who was a non-university non-college student. He also had previous run-ins with law enforcement. Guns and drugs were subsequently discovered in the new roommate’s possession upon his arrest.
“After a series of verbal altercations, Ronnie’s new roommate pulled a gun on him on October 9th. Ronnie immediately reported this to his parents. Ronnie’s father immediately sent a text to Northwestern State Head Football Coach Brad Laird alerting him that he needed help and that Ronnie’s roommate had pulled a gun on him. Coach Laird replied with a phone call assuring the family that he would take immediate action and move Ronnie to a safe location. Nothing was done, the family heard no updates from the University. The next call the family received was from Coach Brad Laird telling us that Ronnie had been murdered. Three days after his cry for help, Ronnie was shot and killed at his apartment. According to local reports, his roommate was arrested on gun and drug possession charges. There is much more to this story than what has been widely reported. There were warnings. This was a senseless tragedy that could have been prevented.
“Northwestern State University failed one of its students and one of its star athletes. The coaches of ALL collegiate athletes have a huge responsibility to keep the athletes under their care safe and to make sure that they are thriving in their university environment. With families often being thousands of miles away, the coaches and the university staff are often the first line of defense to keep these children safe. We are speaking out now amid our extreme pain to ensure this doesn’t happen to another student athlete, so Ronnie’s life can live on through a greater purpose.”
So far, no one has been has been arrested on murder charges in Ronnie Caldwell’s death. But two men — one identified by Natchitohes police at Ronnie Caldwell’s roommate and the other as a Demon football teammate — have been arrested on gun and drug charges.
