In the early hours of August 4, 2019, the life of Lawrence Jeffries, a 38-year-old Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Tacoma, Washington. The events leading to his death began with a dispute over the treatment of a woman who was the former girlfriend of Jeffries and the current girlfriend of Andrew Pointer III. This long-standing disagreement escalated at a gathering at Lake Tapps on the Saturday preceding the fatal incident.
An argument between Pointer and his girlfriend led her to call Jeffries for a ride. Upon his arrival, a physical altercation ensued between the two men, which Pointer lost.
Following this confrontation, Pointer lured Jeffries to a residence in the 2000 block of East 44th Street under the pretense of wanting to talk. Jeffries, accompanied by the woman, arrived at the location to find Pointer dressed in black and concealing a hand behind his back. Shortly after their arrival, Pointer shot the unarmed Jeffries twice. Witnesses reported that after Jeffries fell to the ground, Pointer appeared to have driven over him as he fled the scene in a car. Emergency services were called to the scene after neighbors reported hearing gunshots, and Jeffries was found lying in the street with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. A medical examination later confirmed that Jeffries died from a gunshot wound and had sustained injuries consistent with being run over.
Andrew Pointer III, who was 36 years old at the time of the incident, was arrested the following day. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, a charge stemming from his twelve prior felony convictions which included second-degree assault and third-degree rape. During his trial, Pointer claimed self-defense, alleging that he had wrestled the gun from Jeffries before shooting him. However, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Pointer had brought the gun to the scene and had shot Jeffries from a distance of seven feet. In April 2022, a jury found Pointer guilty of first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder of Lawrence Jeffries.
