Tire shop manager killed in workplace shooting, employee charged

Tire Shop manager killed in workplace shooting

A Dallas tire shop manager was fatally shot by one of his employees inside the business on Monday, with the motive currently unknown.

DALLAS - A Dallas tire shop manager was shot and killed on Monday by one of his employees, leaving family and longtime friends searching for answers about what led to the sudden burst of workplace violence, police said.

Identified in workplace shooting

What we know:

Dallas police identified the victim as 42-year-old Billy "BJ" Brightman, manager of the Rent-A-Tire shop on Camp Wisdom Road. 

Investigators said Brightman was shot inside the business by 21-year-old Marlon Lawrence, a tire technician who worked under him.

Marlon Lawrence

The shop remained closed on Tuesday, with a sign on the door reading, "Sorry for the inconvenience. Our store is currently closed." Nearby businesses shared photos showing police swarming the property Monday afternoon as crime scene tape cordoned off the area.

Surveillance video captures shooting

What they're saying:

Police said surveillance video captured the shooting. According to an arrest affidavit, Brightman was working at the front counter when Lawrence approached from behind and shot him once in the back and then again in the face. 

Brightman was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

The motive for the killing remains unknown.

A friend remembers the manager

Dig deeper:

James Luck, a friend of Brightman for more than 20 years, said he spoke with him early Monday morning and stopped by the shop later that day, unaware anything had gone wrong.

"It had to be like 1:45, 1:50 when I started seeing the crime scene," Luck said. He described Brightman as a devoted husband and father who was driven, generous and deeply protective of those around him.

"You could never picture that actually happening, not to BJ," Luck said. "He always told me, ‘Be safe out there.’ Thinking of him always saying that … it bothers me now."

Suspect charged with murder

What's next:

Police said Lawrence admitted to the shooting during an interview at police headquarters. He was arrested and booked into the Dallas County jail, where he is being held on a murder charge.