Sheriff: Deputy fatally shot deputy in ‘avoidable’ accident

PALM BAY, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff says one of his deputies fatally shot another while they were off duty and taking a break from playing an online video game. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a social media video posted Sunday that the deputies were best friends and roommates. Ivey says 23-year-olds Andrew Lawson and Austin Walsh were standing around talking Saturday after playing the online game when Lawson took out a gun he believed he had unloaded and “jokingly” pointed it at Walsh. A round fired and fatally struck Walsh. Lawson has been charged with manslaughter. The sheriff called the shooting “an extremely dumb and totally avoidable accident.”