Utah Shooting Suspect Pleads Guilty

Quincy Earl Lawson, 21, was originally charged with one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of second-degree felony obstruction of justice and multiple second- and third-degree felony counts of discharging a firearm in the death of singer and event promoter Bradley Hancock, 24.

On March 31, Lawson pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony count of manslaughter, and all other charges were dismissed. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced May 24, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Lawson was accused of firing six shots at Hancock outside the Core club during an incident in November. The shooting reportedly took place after Hancock escorted Lawson out of the club following a fight in the mosh pit with Hancock’s younger brother. Hancock went back outside later, saw Lawson was still there and threw a piece of concrete in the man’s direction.

An autopsy showed Hancock was hit twice in the arm and once in the head by bullets from what police suspect was a handgun, though the weapon was never recovered, according to documents obtained by the Tribune. In court, a man who attended the concert with Lawson testified the dispute outside the club only escalated into a shooting after Hancock threw the concrete block, the paper said.