Suspect in Shooting of Missouri Running Back Ahmad Hardy Arrested in Kentucky

LAUREL, Miss. (AP) — A 20-year-old man wanted in connection to the shooting of Missouri football star Ahmad Hardy at an outdoor concert in Mississippi has been arrested.

Rashodrick Harris of Wayne County, Mississippi, was taken into custody in Paducah, Kentucky, on Thursday night and was awaiting extradition, Sgt. Macon Davis of the Laurel Police Department said.

Hardy, an All-America running back and Doak Walker Award finalist for the Tigers, was shot in the upper leg on Sunday while attending the concert at a bike club in Laurel, about 90 minutes away from his hometown of Oma. At least one other person was injured.

Hardy underwent surgery in Mississippi and returned to Columbia, Missouri, on Wednesday.

Three other people of interest who were taken into custody have been released with no charges, Davis said.

Harris will be charged with two counts of aggravated assault, Davis said. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are possible, he said.

Laurel police used security video to identify Harris as a suspect and an arrest warrant was issued after an interview with a witness. Davis said he didn't know why Harris was in Paducah, which is a seven-hour drive from Laurel.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said Hardy's status for this season was uncertain. Hardy ran for 1,649 yards — second among players in the Football Bowl Subdivision — and scored 16 touchdowns in helping the Tigers go 8-5 with a loss to Virginia in the Gator Bowl. Several mock drafts already list the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Hardy as the No. 1 running back available next April.