Justin Walter Lawton, a 26-year-old African-American male, was fatally shot in Nashville, Tennessee, on the night of December 14, 2016. The incident occurred while Lawton was seated in his vehicle in the parking lot of JC's Bullseye Sports Bar located in the Donelson area. After the shooting, his vehicle rolled out of the parking lot and came to a stop in the street.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a white Toyota Corolla fleeing the area shortly after the gunshots were heard.
The investigation into Lawton's death was a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This joint investigation led to the identification of two suspects, Brandon Hunt-Clark, who was 22 at the time, and Christopher Brazelton, then 24. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Hunt-Clark was also injured and told police he was in Lawton's car at the time of the incident but claimed to have been too intoxicated to recall the details.
In April 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Brandon Hunt-Clark on charges of conspiring to commit and committing a Hobbs Act Robbery, using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, and conspiring to tamper with a witness. The following month, a superseding indictment brought the same federal charges against Christopher Brazelton. The indictments alleged that the two men conspired to rob Lawton, which ultimately led to his death. Further charges against both men included conspiring with others to tamper with a witness who had knowledge of the robbery and murder. At the time of the indictments, both Hunt-Clark and Brazelton were already in custody on other charges. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation revealed a prior connection between Lawton and Hunt-Clark. In a previous incident in 2015, Hunt-Clark had shot and wounded then-Metro Councilman Loniel Greene. Lawton was reportedly with Hunt-Clark at the time of that shooting. Hunt-Clark later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in that case and received a probated sentence.
On May 24, 2022, Christopher Brazelton was adjudicated guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce, robbery affecting commerce, and the use, carrying, brandishing, and discharge of a firearm resulting in death. While the final disposition for Brandon Hunt-Clark's charges is not detailed, the case against both men moved through the federal court system, culminating in the conviction of Brazelton for his role in the robbery and murder of Justin Walter Lawton.
