Neighbor of Botham Jean who was a key witness in murder trial shot to death

The Dallas County District Attorney’s office has confirmed that Joshua Brown, a key witness in the murder trial of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, was shot to death on Friday.

Local police said Brown – who lived in the apartment across the hall from Botham Jean and was at home the night Guyger fatally shot Jean after walking into the wrong apartment – was shot outside of an apartment complex in Dallas, CNN reports. 

{mosads}Authorities reportedly said officers were sent to the Atera Apartments late Friday after receiving a call about a shooting. Shortly after arriving at the complex, officers reportedly found Brown on the ground outside of the complex with multiple gunshot wounds.

While police have not released a suspect description, witnesses reportedly said they saw a white sedan fleeing the scene shortly after hearing gunshots. 

Lee Merritt, an attorney representing Jean’s family, shared footage of Brown’s emotional testimony during the murder trial, which resulted in Guyger’s ten-year sentence this week, last month.

Brown testified during the trial that he met Jean on Sept. 6, 2018, the same day he was shot. While inside his unit, Brown said that he heard voices from outside the hall that sounded like people meeting by “surprise” shortly before hearing gunshots go off.

He said that he heard Guyger leave the apartment after “crying, explaining what happened, what she thought happened, saying she came in to the wrong apartment,” according to CNN.

Merritt said on Facebook that he “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,” he said, while also adding that Brown’s “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,” Merritt added.