Bruce Wayne Washington Sr., a 47-year-old African American man from Austin, Texas, tragically died on June 24, 2019. He was born on October 17, 1971, to Melvin Hughes and Walma Dean Washington. Bruce was well-known in his community and had a close-knit family.
On the night of his death, Bruce was visiting a friend, Morris Jermaine Shelton, at the Booker T. Washington Terrace apartments in East Austin.
According to police reports, Bruce's wife was waiting in the car while he went inside the apartment. Moments later, a barrage of gunfire erupted from the apartment, and Bruce was shot multiple times. He managed to tell his wife that he had been shot before collapsing. Shelton then came outside, apologized to Bruce's wife, and retreated back into the apartment.
Morris Jermaine Shelton, a 33-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder. Shelton admitted to shooting Bruce but claimed it was over some unspecified issue. He had a criminal record, including a conviction for aggravated robbery, and was on parole at the time of the shooting.
The investigation revealed that Shelton felt uneasy about the meeting, which was supposedly for Bruce to buy drugs. However, Bruce's wife told police that the shooting appeared to be completely unprovoked. Shelton was held in custody with bail set at $1 million.
The tragic death of Bruce Wayne Washington Sr. shook the community, and his family and friends continue to mourn his loss. The case remains a stark reminder of the impact of violence and the importance of community safety.
