Background: Andrew Lawson speaks at his plea hearing on Jan. 15; his plea deal was rejected by the judge (WOFL). Inset: Austin Walsh (Brevard County Sheriff”s Office).
A former sheriff’s deputy from Florida is now confronted with more severe legal consequences after allegedly shooting his roommate in the head during a game of Call of Duty while off-duty.
Initially charged with manslaughter for the fatal shooting of Austin Walsh, his 23-year-old roommate, friend, and former colleague, 26-year-old Andrew Lawson now faces an upgraded charge of second-degree murder. This development follows the state attorney’s decision to amend the charges, nearly three months after Lawson’s attempt to plead guilty to manslaughter was rejected by the court, as noted in online court documents.
As reported by local NBC affiliate WESH, Judge Michelle Naberhaus of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court interrupted the sentencing proceedings on January 30 after four hours of victim impact statements. Previously, Lawson was poised to serve a seven-year prison term under a manslaughter plea deal. Following the judge’s intervention, Lawson chose to retract his plea.
If convicted of second-degree murder, Lawson could face a life sentence. WESH highlighted that his defense team is advocating for mental health treatment rather than jail time.
The incident, detailed by Law&Crime, unfolded on December 3, 2022, when Lawson and Walsh, both deputies for the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, were playing Call of Duty off-duty at their shared apartment in Palm Bay, Florida. During a pause in their gaming, Lawson allegedly picked up what he thought was an unloaded gun and “jokingly” aimed it at Walsh, whom he later described as his “best friend.”
According to an affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime, Lawson pulled the trigger once without incident. However, when he pointed the firearm at Walsh a second time and pulled the trigger, the gun discharged, fatally striking Walsh in the head.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey recounted at the time that Lawson was “fully distraught and devastated” when Palm Bay police arrived at the deputies’ home.
Lawson’s next court date is scheduled for April 30.
