Former Michigan State Basketball Star Keith Appling Suspect in Fatal Detroit Shooting

Former Michigan State and Orlando Magic basketball player Keith Appling is a suspect in the shooting death of a 66-year-old man.

Detroit Police released a statement that said the victim and suspect "had a verbal altercation, which turned physical" Saturday in Detroit, per Brett Kast of WXYZ Detroit. The suspect then fired multiple gunshots and killed the older man before fleeing the scene.

Police identified the suspect as Appling and said he was "armed and dangerous."

Appling has had a number of run-ins with the law.

In February 2020, Darcie Moran of the Detroit Free Press reported he was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license after police said they found heroin in his car when they pulled him over for driving erratically.

The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported in August 2017 that he was sentenced to one year in jail for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police.

Appling is best known for his time at Michigan State. He played for the Spartans for four seasons from 2010-11 through 2013-14 and helped lead them to the NCAA men's tournament four times and the 2014 Elite Eight.

While he went undrafted, he played in the NBA G League and appeared in five games for the Orlando Magic during the 2015-16 campaign.