Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph was a passenger in a vehicle from which multiple shots were fired last month, killing a man in the Old East Dallas area, but Joseph was unarmed and did not kill the man, his attorney told the Dallas Morning News on Friday .
Dallas police questioned 22-year-old Joseph Friday afternoon at his uptown attorney’s office about his involvement in the death of 20-year-old Cameron Ray. He was silent as he left the office at around 4:30 p.m. and was driven away in a blue sedan registered to another attorney at the law firm.
Joseph and Ray were with separate groups of friends when the shooting happened early March 18. According to surveillance video footage released by Dallas police this week, the groups engaged in skirmishes around 1:45 a.m. outside a nightclub and bar on the 3600 block of Greenville Avenue, off Martel Avenue.
Footage shows that shortly after the fight, a black SUV drove past Ray and his group of friends, and shots were fired from at least one of the vehicle’s windows. Ray was transported to a hospital where he died.
The Cowboys drafted Joseph in the second round last year, who played at LSU and Kentucky.
“Kelvin Joseph didn’t shoot Cameron Ray,” said Barry Sorrels, Joseph’s attorney. “Mr. Ray’s death is a tragedy and Kelvin sends his deepest condolences to the family. On the night of March 17, Kelvin was unarmed and did not seek violence. He was in a situation that escalated without his knowledge or consent.
“Along with his condolences to the Ray family, Kelvin apologizes to the Dallas community for coming anywhere close to such an incident. The investigation is ongoing and we intend to respect the process.”
Sorrels declined to give details of Joseph’s conversation with police, saying he would raise the issue “later and at a more appropriate time.”
For the first time, the Cowboys addressed the investigation publicly in a statement to The News on Friday.
“The Dallas Cowboys are aware of the tragic incident that occurred on March 18th in Dallas. First and foremost, our hearts go out to Mr. Ray’s family and loved ones. The organization is aware of Kelvin Joseph’s possible connection to this incident. We are in contact with Dallas law enforcement and have notified the NFL office. We have no further comment at this time.”
An NFL spokesman said the matter is “under review by the league’s personal conduct policy.”
The fact that Dallas police have asked for the public’s help may indicate that Joseph has not contacted police for weeks to learn what he knows about the shooting and those involved. Texas political parties law could potentially lead to charges for anyone who was in the SUV at the time of the shooting.
Earlier this week, Dallas Police Department asked for help from the public to identify the six men involved in the disturbance with Ray’s group outside the OT Tavern. Joseph was identified as having facial features similar to a man in the video, who wore a necklace that appeared to contain the letters “YKDV” on a locket. On Friday they released a video of the men.
Joseph has a rapper alias, YKDV Bossman Fat, which predates his time in the NFL. YKDV stands for You Know Da Vibe.
Playing sparingly as a rookie for the Cowboys, Joseph began the 2021 season on injured reserve with a groin condition he suffered during an Aug. 29 show against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the team’s first 14 games, he appeared in seven and only played 14 defensive snaps, contributing mostly on special teams. He started in two of the last three regular-season games and finished the year with 16 tackles and two passes defended.
This is the latest of several offseason troubles for the Dallas Cowboys. A woman is suing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, saying she is his daughter. Jones claimed she blackmailed him, which her attorneys denied. And a multimillion-dollar settlement with the team’s cheerleaders over allegations of voyeurism came to light, as did a lawsuit over a videotape of a sexual encounter with one of Jones’ sons.
Also on Friday, the city of Dallas threatened to sue properties on Greenville Avenue near where Ray was shot. A Dallas assistant city attorney wrote in a letter this week that the properties, which include the OT Tavern and Bar 3606, have repeatedly been the scene of crimes in the past, adding that the city is now ready to file a lawsuit to be submitted if the properties “fail”. to reduce crime.”
The letter cites seven crimes at those properties since 2018, including the March murder, two aggravated assaults, one sexual assault, two criminal mischief offenses and one charge related to discharging a firearm. According to the letter, four of those crimes have occurred in the past month.
The property owners could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
Councilor Paul Ridley also plans to file a protest against Bar 3606 before it seeks renewal of its license from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission this summer, according to his office. Ridley is asking the city to take legal action against the two bars, his office said.