Former UCLA star and NBA player Tyler Honeycutt found dead following shootout with police
Tyler Honeycutt, a former UCLA star and Sacramento Kings draft pick, was found dead in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles on Saturday morning following a shootout with police officers, per ABC 7. He was 27.
Honeycutt’s agent Aaron Mintz confirmed his client’s death on Saturday to the Russian professional team that Honeycutt played for this past season.
Tyler Honeycutt passed away…
Player's agent, mr. Aaron Mintz, confirmed the death of Honeycutt@Khimkibasket expresses its deepest condolences to Tyler's family and friends
Rest in peace, Tyler… pic.twitter.com/y0SELMlgNN
— BC Khimki (@Khimkibasket) July 7, 2018
Mintz did not immediately return an email from Yahoo Sports on Saturday seeking confirmation.
Honeycutt and LAPD officers exchanged shots Friday night
According to the LAPD, the incident began Friday at around 5 p.m. PT when police responded to a call about a “man with a gun” inside a Sherman Oaks residence. The suspect allegedly opened fire at officers and then barricaded himself inside the residence after police returned fire.
UPDATE: We can confirm that during the initial encounter the suspect fired a shot out of the residence and officers returned fire. No officers were injured and it’s unknown if the suspect was struck. This is still an ongoing barricaded situation with SWAT officers on scene.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) July 7, 2018
Los Angeles police department SWAT officers entered the residence at about 4 a.m. PT on Saturday and found the suspect unresponsive. He was pronounced dead by investigators of what is now believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
UPDATE: SWAT entered the residence & located an unresponsive male. LAFD responded & pronounced the male dead at scene. Investigators from our Force Investigation Division are at scene conducting a thorough investigation and we will provide more details as they become available
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) July 7, 2018
UPDATE: Regarding last nights Officer-Involved Shooting in Van Nuys Division, it appears as if the suspect was not struck by any officer’s gunfire. The suspect appears to have sustained injuries consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) July 7, 2018
Family members identified the man as Honeycutt on Saturday morning, ABC 7 reported.
An officer at the Los Angeles Police Department Van Nuys Division told Yahoo Sports on Saturday morning that because the case is still under investigation, he could not provide further details or confirm the involvement of Honeycutt. A lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office declined comment to Yahoo Sports on Saturday morning and said he could not yet release the name of the deceased.
Honeycutt starred at UCLA and played for the Sacramento Kings
Honeycutt, a 6-foot-8 forward from Sylmar, just north of Los Angeles, played two seasons at UCLA from 2009-2011 and earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors in his sophomore season. He then declared for the NBA draft and was selected by Sacramento in the second round (35th overall pick) in 2011.
He played minimally for the Kings and was eventually traded to Houston in 2013. He never played for the Rockets, and in August, 2013, he moved his playing career overseas, starting with Ironi Nes Ziona in Israel. For the past few years, he had bounced back and forth between Khimki and Anadolu Efes in Turkey.
Several NBA players tweeted out their condolences
Honeycutt’s coach at Khimki, Giorgios Bartzokas, was too overwhelmed to comment, saying “I am sorry I cannot talk right now, I am really sad.”
“I am sorry i cannot talk right now, i am really sad” GBartzokas. Tyler Honeycutt, massa jove per morir. pic.twitter.com/ei1ah8nhBo
— Víctor Lavagnini (@victorlavagnini) July 7, 2018
Many NBA players — both current and past — expressed their thoughts on Twitter.
Still can’t believe this… Rest In Peace to my brother Tyler Honeycutt
— That Boy Jrue (@Jrue_Holiday11) July 7, 2018
hurt by the news, glad no one else was injured, but ultimately sad to say, rest in peace to my basketball brother tyler honeycutt… pic.twitter.com/5jmXT472gB
— Solomon Hill (@solohill) July 7, 2018
R.I.P. Tyler Honeycutt
— Terrence Ross (@TFlight31) July 7, 2018
RIP Tyler Honeycutt🙏🏾
Prayers up for his family and friends.
Rest easy bro!— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) July 7, 2018
RIP tyler honeycutt
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) July 7, 2018
Wow. RIP to Tyler HoneyCutt. Former Teammate & Good Friend. Thoughts and Prayers to His Family! #GoneToSoon
— Jason Thompson (@jtthekid) July 7, 2018
My prayers go out to Tyler Honeycutt never know what ppl are going thru.
— Joe Crawford (@JoeCrawford5) July 7, 2018
Rest Easy Tyler Honeycutt.. prayers up for him and family.. devastating.. just saw him yesterday..
— Quincy Pondexter (@QuincyPondexter) July 7, 2018
Rest Easy Young King …Tyler Honeycutt … Extremely Sad News..
— DaJuan Summers (@DSummersTime) July 7, 2018
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