On the night of June 25, 2026, a dispute in the parking garage of the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 33-year-old Christopher Austin Jr. from Alexandria, Virginia. The incident, which police believe stemmed from a road rage argument, unfolded at approximately 11:10 p.m. as Austin was in his three-wheeled Slingshot autocycle, waiting in the exit line of the garage.
It was there that an argument erupted between Austin and another driver, identified as 36-year-old Tyrell Hairston of Accokeek.
According to law enforcement, Hairston, who was in a car behind Austin, initiated the argument. The confrontation quickly turned violent when Hairston allegedly exited his vehicle, approached Austin, and shot him multiple times. Despite his injuries, Austin managed to drive away before crashing into a tree nearby. When police arrived at the scene near Monument Avenue and MGM National Avenue, they found Austin inside his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in Austin's vehicle sustained injuries from the crash. Austin was a father to a 5-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter and also leaves behind a fiancée.
Shortly after the shooting, Tyrell Hairston called 911 and turned himself in to the authorities. He was taken into custody by the Department of Corrections. Hairston has been charged with first and second-degree murder, firearm use in the commission of a violent crime, first and second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment. During a court appearance, his attorney claimed the shooting was an act of self-defense, stating that Hairston believed Austin had a firearm and that his own life was in danger. A judge subsequently denied bail for Hairston. The victim's family, who were present in the courtroom, described Austin as a well-loved man with a laugh that could light up a room. The case against Hairston is ongoing, with authorities stating that the two men did not appear to know each other prior to the deadly encounter.
