Baton Rouge police on Saturday said video, physical and DNA evidence led them to arrest a 20-year-old man in the shooting death of LSU basketball player Wayde Sims outside a fraternity party.
In a Saturday morning press conference, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul announced the arrest of Dyteon Simpson, 20, of Baker, La., for the shooting death of Sims outside a party early Friday morning in Baton Rouge.
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Police said DNA evidence obtained from Simpson's glasses found on the scene helped them identify him as a suspect and link him to the case. They also used other physical evidence and video of the shooting scene taken by bystanders. During questioning, Paul said Simpson admitted to his role in the shooting.
Police said Sims had stepped in to defend a friend who had been punched by the shooter. Simpson then fired on Sims, police said.
"Wayde stepped in to defend his friend and was shot by Simpson," Chief Murphy Paul said.
Simpson was booked with second-degree murder. Deputies from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and State Police assisted with the investigation late into the night on Friday, Paul said.
Sims was shot dead early Friday morning in Baton Rouge outside of a fraternity party, after an argument turned to a fistfight and then a gunshot was fired, police said.
He later died at a hospital. An autopsy Friday determined he died of a gunshot to the head that traveled into his neck, said East Baton Rouge Coroner Dr. Beau Clark.
Sims, an LSU junior, was born in Winter Park, Florida then moved to Baton Rouge. Before LSU, he attended University Laboratory School. He was the 2014-2015 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and was chosen for the First Team All-State selection.