IRS Agent Exonerated in Colleague’s Phoenix Death

Phoenix — Larry Edward Brown Jr. was acquitted on Wednesday of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his colleague, IRS Special Agent Patrick Bauer. The incident occurred during a training session at a gun range located at the Federal Correctional Institution in Phoenix.

Prosecutors argued that Brown acted recklessly when he discharged his weapon on August 17, 2023. They claimed he violated basic firearm safety protocols, which mandate treating every gun as loaded and ensuring the muzzle is pointed safely before firing.

After the completion of a live-fire pistol qualification session attended by sixteen IRS criminal investigators, Bauer was shot. An IRS agent, having stepped outside for a phone, reported hearing a gunshot moments later. Witnesses recounted seeing Brown exit the building, visibly distressed, stating he had accidentally shot Bauer, who succumbed to his injuries during surgery.

Following the shooting, Brown experienced acute stress and was taken to a medical facility. Court records indicate he allegedly voiced regret about his role as a use-of-force instructor. However, Brown’s defense maintained that he never made that statement, framing Bauer’s death as an unfortunate accident rather than negligence.

Brown’s attorneys emphasized that he had rushed to assist Bauer, including calling emergency services and aiding with first aid. Dr. Kenji Inaba, an expert witness hired by the defense, asserted that had Bauer received timely medical intervention, he likely would have survived.

According to Inaba, the ambulance took over 25 minutes to arrive after the shooting, followed by an additional 14 minutes to reach the hospital, which lacked a trauma center. Prosecutors countered that any delays in medical care were not the cause of Bauer’s death, attributing it solely to the negligence involved in the firearm discharge.