(Brevard County, FL)– The Brevard County Sheriff’s office is reporting that a police deputy fatally shot another off-duty officer due to his mishandling of a gun.
The incident occurred early Saturday morning at a home in Palm Bay where the two deputies were roommates.
Authorities say the victim Austin Walsh, and his roommate Andrew Lawson had been playing video games online with other friends but decided to take a break.
At some point during the break, Lawson picked up a handgun and jokingly pointed at Walsh:
“Lawson was holding a handgun, which he believed he had unloaded, and at one point in their conversation Lawson, thinking that the gun was unloaded, jokingly pointed the gun at Austin’s direction and pulled the trigger.”
Walsh was struck by a bullet and died instantly.
Authorities say they found Lawson inside the home “distraught” when they arrived.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office gave an update on the incident Sunday morning saying it was a “reckless” and “accidental” shooting:
“This is one of the toughest days in my career because this afternoon I have to stand here and talk about the loss of one of my deputies, who I love so much, as the result of the reckless actions of another one of our deputies who I also love.”
Lawson was taken into custody and charged with second-degree manslaughter.