Sheriff: 23-year-old Brevard County deputy killed by roommate in accidental shooting

I AM MARLEI MARTINEZ, TONIGHT BY LUANA MUNOZ. TONIGHT, A BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF IS DEAD AND HIS ROOMMATE, WHO IS ALSO A DEPUTY, IS ACCUSED OF ACCIDENTALLY SHOOTING AND KILLING HIM. AS WESH 2'S AMANDA DUKES REPORTS, THE SHERIFF SAYS THE DEPUTY WHO FIRE THE FATAL SHOT WAS JOKEING AND THOUGHT HIS GUN WAS NOT LOADED. AMANDA: ACCORDING TO THE BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF, DEPUTY AUSTIN WALSH, 23, WAS KILLED ON SATURDAY BY HIS OWN ROOMMATE, WHO IS ALSO A ROOMMATE, IN AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING. THIS AFTERNOON I HAVE TO STAY HERE AND TALK ABOUT THE LOSS OF ONE OF MY DEPUTIES WHOM I LOVE AS MUCH AND THE RESULT OF THE RECKLESS ACTIONS OF ANOTHER OF OUR DEPUTIES, WHOM I ALSO LOVE.

AMANDA: IN A VIDEO ON FACEBOOK, SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY SAID THAT WALSH AND HIS ROOMMATE, DEPUTY ANDREW LAWSON, WERE AT A HOUSE IN PALM BAY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WHEN THE SHOOTING OCCURRED. HE AND AUSTIN HAD TAKEN A BREAK FROM PLAYING AN ONLINE GAME WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND WERE STANDING TALKING. LAWSON WAS HOLDING A GUN THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD UNLOADED AND AT ONE POINT IN THEIR CONVERSATION, LAWSON, THINKING THE GUN WAS UNLOADED, JOKELY POINTED IT IN THE DIRECTION OF AUSTIN AND SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER. AMANDA: IVEY SAID A SINGLE ROUND WAS FIRE AND HIT WALSH, WHICH KILLED HIM.

LAWSON IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 FOR HELP AND THEN CALLED PALM BAY POLICE. THE SHERIFF SAID THE FDLE WAS CALLED TO INVESTIGATE, AND LAWSON HAS SINCE BEEN CHARGED WITH LICENSIVE MURDER. HE SURRENDERED TO JAIL ON SUNDAY. AUSTIN AND ANDREW WERE THE BEST FRIENDS AND ANDREW IS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED BY WHAT HAPPENED. EVEN WITH THAT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS TRAGIC AND COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE DEATH. AMANDA: THE SHERIFF SAID WALSH HAD WORKED AS A MEMBER OF THE BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SINCE THE AGE OF 18, AND BEFORE THAT, HE WAS PART OF THEIR EXPLORERS PROGRAM.M. IVEY SAID HIS AGENCY IS IN MOURNING.

HE ALSO HOPES A LESSON WILL BE LEARNED FROM THIS TRAGEDY. FRIENDS, THIS UNNECESSARY AND COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE INCIDENT NOT ONLY TOOK THE LIFE OF AN AMAZING YOUNG AND DEPUTY BUT IT ALSO FOREVER CHANGED THE LIFE OF ANOTHER GOOD YOUNG MAN WHO MADE AN EXTREMELY POOR AND RECKLESS DECISION. AMANDA: AMANDA DUKES REPORT, WESH NEWS 2.