Ronnie Caldwell's cause of death: What happened to Northwestern State safety?

Ronnie Caldwell, a junior safety on the Northwestern State football team, died on Thursday morning due to injuries sustained from being shot multiple times, according to the police in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Tyler Junior transfer was 21.

The shooting occurred at approximately 1:08 a.m. local time on University Parkway, close to Northwestern State University campus. Despite the efforts of the police to provide necessary aid in ensuring his safety, Ronnie Caldwell succumbed to his gunshot wounds.

The police have immediately launched an investigation into the shooting incident. Local police have informed regional news outlets that they have identified a person of interest in connection with the shooting, but as of now, no arrests have been made in the case.

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Northwestern State cancels its upcoming game

In response to the shooting death of Caldwell, the Northwestern State Demons have decided to cancel their upcoming game against Nicholls State. The program released a statement indicating that decisions regarding the remainder of its football games would be made at a later time.

Sixth-year coach and former Demons quarterback Brad Laird has expressed his feelings on the death of Caldwell. He mentioned the importance of the safety in the team's locker room and the respect he commanded among his teammates with his leadership roles.

“Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field," Coach Laird said. "He was our voice in the locker room. When Ronnie spoke, others listened. The respect our football team had for Ronnie was evident.”

“He did not play a snap this year because of an injury, but his voice resonated with every member of our team from the first player to the 115th on our roster.”

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Ronnie Caldwell's college football career

Following his high school career at Cedar Park High School in Austin, Texas, Ronnie Caldwell started his college football career at Tyler Junior College in 2021. He transferred to Northwestern State before the 2022 season, where he starred for the Demons.

Caldwell started 10 games in 2022 and recorded 42 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, contributing to the team's efforts on the field. His death is a tragedy for the football community, and he will be remembered for his contributions on and off the field.

Caldwell's impact extended beyond his efforts as a player. Despite suffering an injury during fall camp in 2023 that prevented him from playing, he remained actively involved with the Northwestern State program.