The Joshua Brown killing

Joshua Brown, a witness in the Amber Guyger murder trial in Texas, was killed a couple days. He was shot in the parking lot of his new apartment building. Original reports didn't make it clear whether it was a drive by shooting or if the killer(s) had stopped.

This killing is problematic in many ways. Mr. Brown had previously testified in the Amber Guyger trial. He was scheduled to testify in a civil trail against the Dallas Police Department over the Guyger murder. He was also involved in another murder trial against a man who allegedly killed one person and shot Mr. Brown in the foot outside a strip club.

A couple days after the shooting the Dallas police have made one arrest and have warrants for two other people. They claim that Mr. Brown was shot in a drug deal gone bad with the killers being three people who drove in from central Louisiana to do a deal with him. Mr. Brown got into an argument and altercation with one of the three and in the end Brown shot one and wounded one suspect while Brown was shot (not clear by which of the three suspects). Dallas police say a search of Brown's apartment resulted in a stash of drugs and cash.

What to make of all this. One thing is to apply the "48 hour rule" which says wait 48 hours (not ahard limit) after any event to see what's true or not true of often contradictory reports. That rule applies here and we're still hearing about new developments. Even so, it is clear several things will happen as this story plays out.

One is that the Dallas Police will be blamed for the whole thing. Immediately after the shooting there was strong speculation that this was a killing by police officers (or those acting for them) either in revenge for testifying against Guyger or to prevent Brown from testifying in the civil trial. The fact the Dallas Police investigated the case after requests they turn it over to somebody else won't help conspiracy theorists. It's easy to assume that the police planted the drugs in the apartment and have fabricated the charges against the three suspects to protect their own.

There will be obvious racial overtones since Joshua Brown is black. Thus there are statements about this showing the danger of being black in America. Even though the Dallas police chief is black any theories that the police are guilty of the shooting will likely also invoke Black Lives Matter and White Supremacy.

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot known about Joshua Brown (at least in the news stories so far). Nothing says he had a regular job, rather he is said to have managed "several Airbnb's". This brings up the question of how much money can be made managing an Airbnb property. It would also be a good public occupation for somebody dealing in illegal drugs, not to mention Airbnbs often being used by sex workers (so we may hear speculation that Joshua Brown was a pimp).

Still, this is all speculation. There are few facts and a lot of people trying to fit those facts into their predefined narrative.