FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – The man who was arrested in connection with a fatal Fernandina Beach shooting told police that the victim was his best friend and that the incident was accidental, according to police reports.
Police reports obtained by News4JAX state that on Tuesday, around 3:30 a.m., officers with the Fernandina Beach Police Department responded to a call from Ty William Richardson, where he said that he accidentally shot his friend in the head.
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When officers arrived, they said Richardson was standing directly next to the victim, and his hands were covered in blood. He was also not wearing a shirt.
As medical personnel arrived at the scene, officers state that Richardson was “distraught” and “talked spontaneously that he had just killed his best friend.”
“He continued by saying they were playing around with ‘them,’ and that he never should have put that gun in his hand, and that it just went off,” the police report says.
After speaking with another roommate of Richardson’s, the police learned that Richardson and the victim had bought the property where the incident occurred together, were best friends who had known each other for about 14 years, and “did everything together.”
The two also worked together at a restaurant and returned home together the night of the incident around 1 a.m., the roommate told police.
The roommate went on to say that he was playing video games when everything happened, but managed to hear a “loud bang” about an hour after Richardson and the victim arrived at their residence. They added that they weren’t sure what the sound was initially, and assumed it could have been a circuit breaker popping.
Another loud bang was heard by the roommate, which caused them to leave the room. When they exited the room, they told police that they saw the victim lying on the floor in the kitchen with blood coming from their head as Richardson called 911.
Around 7:30 a.m., police say they observed Richardson in an interview room sitting and talking to himself, saying, “Please be strong and make, so I can say I’m sorry.” He also continued saying he was “so, so sorry.”
The victim died from his injuries around 10:15 a.m.
Richardson was arrested and booked into the Nassau County Jail and faces a charge of manslaughter.
The investigation into this matter is ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Police Chief Jeffrey Tambasco at 904-254-3580, or via email at jtambasco@fbfl.org