In the late hours of what should have been a celebration, the life of 19-year-old Austin Scott-Lee Gordon was tragically cut short. On September 10, 2022, the recent graduate of Green Hill High School was with friends in a residence on Glen Oaks Drive in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, marking his nineteenth birthday. The joyous occasion turned somber when authorities were called to the scene in the early morning and discovered Gordon deceased from a gunshot wound.
The Wilson County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation into the young man's death.
Austin was remembered as a vibrant and loving individual with a smile that could light up a room. Raised in Mount Juliet, he had a passion for a wide array of interests that included music, cooking, gaming, and fishing. He was an avid fan of the Tennessee Titans and had a particular fondness for hot chicken. His family and friends recall his great sense of humor, his love for everyone he met, his many jokes, his talent for playing the drums, and his infectious laugh and dancing. He was known for his kind heart, beautiful smile, and was truly considered one of a kind by those who knew and loved him.
The investigation into Austin's death led to the arrest of a friend, 22-year-old Caleb Mershon. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Mershon and Gordon were together celebrating when the fatal incident occurred. Witnesses testified that an intoxicated Mershon had been acting with extreme recklessness, pointing a handgun at several other teenagers throughout the evening before he unintentionally shot his friend. Though he attempted to render aid to Gordon after the shooting, his efforts were in vain.
A Wilson County jury, composed of five men and seven women, heard testimony from first responders, a neighbor who tried to help, Gordon's mother, and six other teens who were present that night. After deliberating for nearly two hours, the jury found Caleb Mershon guilty of reckless homicide, reckless aggravated assault resulting in death, three counts of reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm while intoxicated, and underage consumption of alcohol. The tragic event was described by the District Attorney as a case of treating a gun like a toy while under the influence, an act for which Mershon was held responsible, forever altering the lives of many.
