BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A plea hearing and sentencing is set Thursday for a Brevard County deputy accused of manslaughter in the fatal 2022 shooting of his roommate and fellow deputy.
Andrew Lawson was charged with manslaughter in January 2023, a month after the deadly shooting of Deputy Austin Walsh, 23. According to an arrest affidavit, Lawson, who was off-duty, “jokingly” pulled the trigger twice before the gun fired and killed Walsh.
Court documents show Lawson will make his plea in court Thursday and sentencing will follow.
The Palm Bay Police Department received a 911 call from Lawson, who said he “accidentally shot his roommate and needed help,” according to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
[SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW]
The roommates had taken a break from playing “Call of Duty,” a first-person shooter video game, after being kicked off due to inactivity and were standing around talking when Lawson took out a Glock 34 9mm semi-automatic pistol, an affidavit shows.
According to the affidavit, Lawson believed the gun was unloaded and “jokingly” pointed it at Walsh, pulling the trigger. The gun did not go off, so Lawson manipulated the slide back before pulling the trigger for a second time, the sheriff’s office said.
[SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW]
This time, a single shot was fired and struck Walsh in the head, killing him, according to deputies.
Lawson immediately called 911 and was “distraught” and “devastated” when first responders arrived, Ivey said. Lawson cooperated fully with the investigation, which was conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Palm Bay Police Department.
Ivey said Lawson and Walsh were best friends and roommates.
The sheriff said after the shooting that Walsh had been with the agency since he was 18.
“Austin was such a great kid, and our hearts are broken over his loss. He will be deeply missed by our agency, our community and our prayers are with his family,” Ivey said at the time.