Background: Andrew Lawson speaks at his plea hearing on Jan. 15 (WOFL). Inset: Austin Walsh (Brevard County Sheriff”s Office).
A former Florida sheriff’s deputy has admitted guilt in the tragic shooting of his roommate and fellow deputy, resulting in a fatal head injury.
Andrew Lawson, aged 25, entered a guilty plea to manslaughter charges on Thursday, marking three years since he dialed 911 to report the shooting of his friend and roommate, 23-year-old Austin Walsh. Both men were deputies at the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and shared a residence in Palm Bay. The incident occurred on the night of December 3, 2022, as the pair were off duty and engaged in playing video games.
During a break, Lawson picked up a gun that he believed was unloaded and “jokingly” aimed it at the man he later described as his “best friend.” Lawson pulled the trigger twice and shot Walsh in the head, killing him immediately.
During a press briefing following the incident, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey described Lawson as “fully distraught and devastated” upon the arrival of Palm Bay police at their home. Officers found Walsh had died instantly from the gunshot wound and declared him dead at the scene.
Sheriff Ivey characterized the shooting as a “clearly dumb and avoidable accident.” In recounting the events leading up to the shooting, he explained that Lawson had pointed the gun at Walsh “jokingly.”
Further insights from an affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime shed light on the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Lawson informed police that during a break from playing Call of Duty, he picked up a pistol he believed to be unloaded. After checking the gun’s status, Lawson pointed it at Walsh, who was standing in a doorway, and pulled the trigger.
Initially, the gun did not discharge. However, Lawson then “again pointed the firearm at Walsh and again pulled the trigger,” resulting in a fatal shot to Walsh’s head.
During the plea hearing on Thursday, an emotional Lawson took the stand on his own behalf, saying, “It breaks my soul to know that I took Austin’s future away from him, and because of what I did, not only will I never be able to talk to Austin again, but you guys won’t be able to, either.”
Local CBS affiliate WKMG reported that Walsh’s brother said, “You don’t point a firearm at another person without the intent to kill that person.”
Lawson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to continue on Jan. 30. He reportedly faces up to seven years behind bars.
