The brother of Sacramento Kings forward Zach Randolph was shot and killed early Saturday outside of an Indiana bar, authorities say.
Police said Roger Randolph, 35, was found bleeding in between two cars outside of Hop’s Blues Room in Marion, Indiana after an officer heard gunfire at around 5 a.m. Marion is about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
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Investigators don’t yet know the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but they don’t think it was a random attack.
Less than 24 hours after Roger Randolph’s death, the bar was set on fire in what was ruled arson. The blaze occurred early Sunday morning and caused an estimated $20,000 in damage, ESPN reports. Authorities didn’t immediately say whether they believe his death and the fire are related.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of Roger Randolph’s tragic death,” Kings General Manager Vlade Divac said in a statement. “As a cherished member of the Kings family, our prayers, heartfelt condolences and thoughts are with Zach and his family during this painful and difficult time.”
Zach, who just finished his 18th NBA season, is a two-time NBA All Star. Before playing for the Kings, he played for the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. He starred at Michigan State University as a freshman during the 2000-01 season and was a star basketball player at Marion High School, where Roger also played before getting kicked off the team after getting into trouble, the Associated Press reports. His mother sent him to a boarding school in Pennsylvania, according to The Oregonian.
Roger had several run-ins with the law, including when he was imprisoned for a 2004 nightclub shooting that wounded three people. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2005 for his role in the nightclub shooting in Anderson, which is about 30 miles south of Marion, and where court records say he was living at the time of his death.
Zach was at the nightclub that night in 2004 and was questioned but not charged. The shooting apparently stemmed from an argument on the dance floor.
Last year, Roger was charged with OWI, Indiana’s equivalent of driving under the influence. There was a hearing last week in that case, which was unresolved.
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