Former Michigan State basketball star Adreian Payne fatally shot while trying to prevent domestic dispute, police investigation reveals

Former Michigan State star Adreian Payne was shot and killed in Orlando, Florida, early Monday while trying to help a woman engaged in a domestic dispute, according to court documents released on Tuesday.

Lawrence Dority, 29, pleaded not guilty after being arrested on a first-degree murder warrant in the shooting. Court documents filed in the Orange County Sheriff's Office's investigation, state that Payne and his girlfriend, whose name was redacted in the report, went to the home of Dority at the request of Dority's girlfriend, Tatiana Mesa.

Payne's girlfriend said Mesa had called her to intervene in past disputes with Dority to «prevent any physical violence.»

Payne and his girlfriend were parked near the home of Dority, who arrived with his father in his father's car. Dority, per witnesses, approached Payne near his vehicle.

Dority and witnesses offer different accounts of what happened next. Dority, who is 5-foot-8, told authorities he felt threatened by the 6-foot-10 Payne because of his size and claimed Payne told him, «I'll smoke you, bra» during an argument. He said Payne started to reach for what he thought was a weapon before Dority walked into his residence, retrieved a gun and fired the single shot that killed Payne.

No firearms were found in Payne's vehicle.

Payne's girlfriend told authorities that Payne did not pose a threat to Dority, and they only showed up to play «mediator.» Another witness said Payne did not make any «threatening motions» toward Dority. Through video and audio, captured of the incident, Payne's girlfriend can be heard telling Dority, «do not pull your gun out» and «we were asked to come here» before Dority fired his weapon.

Dority's father got out of his car and tried to help Payne,