Shooter Did NOT Stand Over Joe McKnight And Cuss, Cops Say

Ronald Gasser did NOT stand over Joe McKnight's body and fire shots while screaming, "I told you not to f**k with me" ... so says Sheriff Normand of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Dept.

"That witness account ... is factually incorrect. It did not happen."

Sheriff Normand says McKnight was shot 3 times -- and the bullet casings were found inside Gasser's own vehicle.

Gasser fired all 3 shots from the driver's seat of his car and struck McKnight -- who was standing at his passenger door. The passenger window was open.

Normand also says they have no proof McKnight was trying to apologize to Gasser during the incident.

Normand says cops have NO video of the incident and they do not believe it exists.

Gasser has been questioned and released. He has not been charged with a crime at this point.

The coroner says all 3 shots that were fired struck McKnight -- none of the wounds are consistent with being shot from above.

The wounds are described as ...

1) A wound to his left hand, graze wound to knuckle – entered the index finger and exited palm

2) Entry wound to his right shoulder, that went into his right lung cavity ... palpable under the skin but in his body

3) Right below his right nipple. Entered into his chest, into his liver and into his kidney, exited through right low back

The Sheriff says ... "Everybody wants to make this about race. This isn't about race."

As for whether Gasser has a license for his gun, "That is still being researched."