A young man Florida Officials say the deputy accidentally shot dead you and his roommate – also a police officer – after the two took a break from playing video games together.
Early Saturday morning, Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Lawson called 911 and told the dispatcher that he had accidentally fired a bullet at his colleague Austin Walsh, 23, and needed emergency assistance because ” accidentally shot his roommate”
in one Facebook Video posted Sunday, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Lawson and Walsh were playing an online video game shortly before the tragic shooting.
Police “Joking” pointed guns at friends, roommates and pulled the trigger thinking he had unloaded the gun
Lawson is said to have told investigators he “jokefully” pointed a gun at Walsh before pulling the trigger, all under the impression that he had previously unloaded the gun.
Authorities say Walsh was beaten once and died at the scene.
“He and Austin took a break from playing an online game with some of their friends and just stood around talking. Lawson was holding a handgun that he believed he had unloaded and at one point in their conversation when Lawson thought the gun had been unloaded, he jokingly pointed the gun at Austin and squeezed stork,” Ivey said.
Meanwhile, Lawson was arrested by Florida Law Enforcement agents on a warrant for manslaughter, according to Sheriff Ivey’s Facebook post.
Lawson turned himself in on Sunday and has since been charged with manslaughter, WESH report.
“Austin and Andrew are best friends and Andrew is completely devastated by what happened,” Ivey wrote on Facebook. “Even with that, there is no excuse for this tragic and completely avoidable death.”
Florida | Sheriff Austin Walsh, 23, was accidentally shot dead by a police roommate Saturday morning at his home in Palm Bay, Florida.
The two are close friends. pic.twitter.com/RPrswWkQwc
— 🅝🅔🅡🅓🅨 🅐🅓🅓🅘🅒🅣.pdf (@SirNerdyAddict) December 5, 2022
The accidental shooting victim fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer after enrolling in the cadet program at the age of 18.
Sheriff Ivey went on to say that Walsh started working for the Brevard County agency at age 18 after enrolling in a cadet program, fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer.
“God, Austin is such a wonderful kid,” Ivey said. “Our hearts are broken for his loss. Our agency, our community will miss him immensely and our prayers go out to his family.”
Ivey added that Lawson was “deeply distraught” at the scene of the shooting and immediately cooperated with response officers.
It’s tragic. @SheriffIvey
said the man, 23, Brevard Company Deputy Chief of Police, Austin Walsh, was accidentally shot dead by his roommate, Deputy Andrew Lawson. Lawson pointed what he thought was an unloaded gun at Walsh and opened fire. Lawson is currently charged with manslaughter. pic.twitter.com/0lFYBcCIwy– Duke Amanda (@AmandaDukesWESH) December 5, 2022
Sheriff defends Deputy Defendant as “Wonderful Child” “Sadly Made a Terrible Decision”
He called the accused “a wonderful kid” who “sadly made a terrible decision.”
“Andrew, he was a great kid,” Ivey said. “Sadly, someone made a terrible and irresponsible decision that has forever affected the lives of so many.”
The shooting is believed to have taken place while both officers were on duty.
Meanwhile, Ivey described Walsh as a precious member of the agency’s family, asking the public to keep him in mind — as well as his loved ones, the agency and the community — in their thoughts. and their prayers.
