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A key witness in the murder trial of ex –Dallaspolice officerAmber Guygerhas been shot dead.
Joshua Brown, 27, lived in the same apartment block asBotham Jeanwho was killed by Guyger, who claimed she mistook his flat for her own.
Mr Brown lived down the hall from from Mr Jean, 26, and was asked to testify as part of Guyger’s murder trial.
On Friday night, he was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the car park of the apartment complex, Dallas officials confirmed.
Police responded to reports of a shooting at Atera Apartments in the 4600 block of Cedar Springs Road at around 10. 30 pm, a spokesperson told broadcaster CNN.
They were swiftly directed by witnesses to where the fatally injured Mr Brown was lying.
He was then transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, according to a statement from Dallas Police.
Witnesses reportedly told officers they heard several gunshots and saw a silver car speed out of the parking lot.
No arrests have yet been made.
A lawyer for Mr Jean’s family has written a series of social media posts about the incident, saying he had spoken to Mr Brown’s mother who suspected “foul play”.
In a Facebook and Twitter post on Saturday night, he wrote that the 27 – year-old was “ambushed at his apartment complex as he got out of his car and shot at close range. ”
He went on to say Mr Brown’s mother has asked him to “do whatever it takes to get to the bottom” of her son’s murder.
“She suspects foul play and it is difficult to rule it out,” he added
“He had no known enemies. He worked for a living. He was not in the streets.
“We need answers. Immediately. “
During his testimony in the Guyger murder trial, Mr Brown told the jury he had met with Mr Jean the day he was killed.
He described how he was in his flat down the hall from Mr Jean’s when he heard the voices of two people who sounded like they were meeting by “surprise.”
The gunshots followed “right after,” he said.
Soon after, from his apartment balcony, Mr Brown said he saw Guyger come out of Mr Jean’s apartment into the hallway.
She was on the phone and “crying, explaining what happened, what she thought happened, saying she came in to the wrong apartment,” he said.
During his statement, Mr Brown broke down in court and wiped away tears with his T-shirt.
Guyger, 31, was found guilty of murder on Wednesday and given a 10 – year sentence.
Mr Merritt said Mr Brown lived in constant fear ofgun violencewhich was why he became emotional on the witness stand .
“He said it could have been him,” Mr Merritt said.
Mr Merritt wrote in a Facebook post that Mr Brown’s murder “underscores the reality of the black experience in America.”
“Brown lived in constant fear that he could be the next victim of gun violence, either state sanctioned or otherwise,” he wrote.
US politician Beto O’Rourke is among those to condemn the tragedy.
Hours after news of Mr Brown’s news broke, he tweeted: “Botham Jean was killed in his own home, his neighbor, Joshua Brown, spoke out and ensured his murderer was held accountable.
“His death, like Botham’s, was a tragedy — only possible because we have failed to end this epidemic of gun violence.
“Sending love to his family.”
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