Authorities say a witness in the murder trial of a white Dallas police officer who fatally shot her black neighbor has been killed in a shooting.
The Dallas Morning News reports that authorities said Joshua Brown was shot and killed Friday night in Dallas. The 28-year-old Brown lived in the same apartment complex as Amber Guyger and Botham Jean when Guyger shot Jean to death in September 2018.
Brown testified in Guyger’s trial about the night that Jean was killed, saying he was in a hallway on the fourth floor, where he and Jean lived. He said he heard what sounded like “two people meeting by surprise” and then two gunshots.
Guyger was convicted Tuesday and sentenced the next day to 10 years in prison. Guyger, 31, was still in her police uniform after a long shift when, according to her testimony at trial, she said she mistook Jean’s apartment for her own, which was one floor below. She said she pushed open Jean’s unlocked door and shot the 26-year-old accountant from the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia after thinking he was a burglar.
She was fired from the department soon after the shooting.
A Dallas police spokesman on Saturday would not confirm to The Associated Press that it was Brown who was shot Friday. He said the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office would determine the identification Sunday.
Police responded to the shooting shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday at the Atera apartments on Cedar Springs Road. They said several witnesses flagged officers down and directed them to an apartment parking lot where the man who was shot was lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds.
The man was taken to Parkland Hospital, where he died. Several witnesses told police they heard gunshots and saw a silver four-door sedan speeding out of the parking lot.
Lee Merritt, an attorney who represents Jean's family, says he spoke with Brown's mother.
“Joshua Brown was [a] key witness in the murder of Botham Jean that helped put Amber Guyger away,” Merritt said on Twitter. “We need answers.”
In a separate statement, Merritt said: "Brown's testimony stood out as a fact witness who was approaching his apartment directly across from Botham Jean's apartment when shots rang out. Brown was still visibly shaken up from the incident when he took the stand to testify on behalf of the prosecution. His murder underscores the reality of the black experience in America. A former athlete turned entrepreneur — Brown lived in constant fear that he could be the next victim of gun violence, either state sanctioned or otherwise.”
I just spoke with Joshua Browns mother. She is devastated. We all are. Joshua Brown was key witness in the murder of Botham Jean that helped put Amber Guyger away. We need answers. pic.twitter.com/5BCdkVXoQ4
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) October 5, 2019
Joshua Brown was shot in his mouth & chest. He was exiting his car at his apt when he was ambushed & shot at close range. His mother asked my office to help find out who murdered her son. She suspects foul play. He had no known enemies. He worked for a living. We need answers. pic.twitter.com/k0KizSLMHi
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) October 5, 2019