Key Witness in Amber Guyger Murder Case Fatally Shot Days After Emotional Trial Wraps Up

Sanya Mansoor

Less than three days after ex-Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering Botham Jean in his own apartment, a key witness in the case was fatally shot.

Joshua Brown was killed Friday night at a Dallas apartment complex, as confirmed to TIME and originally reported by the Dallas Morning News.

The Dallas Police Department told TIME that law enforcement responded to a report of a shooting at a Dallas apartment complex just after 10:30 p.m. on Friday and found the victim “lying on the ground in the apartment parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds,” but did not identity the victim. Spokesperson Kimberlee Leach with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to TIME that the victim was Brown.

The victim died from his injuries at Parkland Memorial Hospital, police said in a statement. Several witnesses had heard gunshots and noticed a silver four-door sedan speeding away from the parking lot, police said. But authorities did not provide more details about the suspect and noted that no one is currently in custody.

Brown, who was also Jean’s neighbor, testified during Guyger’s trial that he met Jean for the first time the same day that he was shot on Sept. 6, 2018. After talking in his testimony about how he would hear Jean singing gospel or Drake songs inside his apartment, Brown became emotional and had to take a break from questioning.

Lee Merritt, a civil rights lawyer who represented the Jean family during trial, has spoken extensively on social media about Brown’s death, and said “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,” Merritt said, adding that Brown’s mother asked that he “do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of his murder.”

 

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Joshua Brown, the next door neighbor of #BothamJean was killed last night after being shot several times by an unknown assailant. Local media has reported on the shooting but have not confirmed Brown’s identity. Because, Brown worked closely with prosecutors just a week ago to ensure Amber Guyger was properly convicted in the murder trial, the DA’s office has fairly direct contact with Brown and his family. An ADA has confirmed that it was in fact Brown who was killed although they have yet to identify a suspect or motive for the shooting. The case is now in the hands of the Dallas Police Department. 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. We have more work to do deal with the constant threats to our community both from within and without. Brown deserves the same justice he sought to ensure the Jean family. The Dallas County criminal justice system must mobilized to identify his killer and see that he is held accountable for this murder.

A post shared by S. Lee Merritt, Esquire (@leemerrittesq) on Oct 5, 2019 at 1:25pm PDT

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This is an emotional moment in court where Joshua Brown talks about what he knew about Botham Jean. He breaks down and court has to go into recess. He was deeply effected by this murder. But by testifying that he could hear Botham singing in his apartment he undermines a key element of the defense. Amber claimed she shouted commands to Botham before shooting him. She didn’t. No one heard that. No neighbors. No passerby’s. Not Joshua as he walked down the corridor. No one. I just learned from the medical examiner that Joshua was shot in his mouth and his chest. He was ambushed at his apartment complex as he got out of his car and shot at close range. His mother asked that I do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of his murder. She suspects foul play and it is difficult to rule it out. He had no known enemies. He worked for a living. He was not in the streets. We need answers. Immediately.

A post shared by S. Lee Merritt, Esquire (@leemerrittesq) on Oct 5, 2019 at 4:33pm PDT

Brown’s death has also elicited concern from politicians. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Sunday that “just when when we caught a glimpse of justice for Botham Jean, much of it feels stolen back with the murder of Joshua Brown.”

Jean’s trial has received national attention in the midst of a nationwide debate about police misconduct against people of color as Guyger is white and Jean was black.