Photo: Instagram
He was 35.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Mar 22, 2019
Country singer Justin Carter died in an accidental shooting on Saturday.
The 35-year-old rising star, who was dubbed "the next Garth Brooks," tragically died over the weekend as a result of his injuries from the tragic incident.
"Please Keep Justin’s Family In Your Prayers & Give Them Privacy In This Hard Time. Justin Is No Longer With Us," a post on his Facebook page reads. "He Has Passed Away. He Will Be Missed By Us All, He Was Always Full Of Joy, Laughter, And Loved On So Many People In His Life. Justin Appreciated All His Fans And Their Support. Justin Loved All Of You. Thank You All For Your Support! We Will Have More Details Releasing Soon On How You Can Help Donate & Help His Family With Burial And Everything! Rest In Heaven My Brother!"
So how did Justin Carter die? Here's what we know about his sudden death.
1. He accidentally shot himself.
Carter was on his way to shoot a music video in Houston, Texas, when a gun being used as a prop accidentally fired, killing him. The gun was in his pocket and "went off and caught my son in the corner of his eye," his mother told Fox News.
“We don’t know how, but the gun went off; the bullet entered his head,” Mark Atherton with Triple Threat told Entertainment Tonight. “It was ruled an accidental shooting by the Montgomery County Sherriff’s Department in Texas.”
Atherton said that despite rumors, the shooting was "completely 100 percent accidental."
“There’s a lot of rumors going around saying it was suicide or he was murdered … It was completely 100 percent accidental, and it was in his apartment and before the shoot," Atherton continued. "The incident occurred this past Saturday afternoon.”
2. His career was taking off.
Carter had recently signed with Triple Threat Management and was about to go on a 10-state tour. He had released a number of songs in the past year, including his hit singles "Perfect," "Wouldn't Know," and his latest song, "Love Affair," which was released on March 9. His future as a country star looked bright.
"Justin had a potential to, you know, in our eyes, and a lot of people's eyes to be the next Garth Brooks," Atherton told ABC7.
His career had just begun to take off and he had big dreams in the country music scene.
"Justin always wanted to reach the top,” read a statement posted on the singer’s official Facebook page. “It’s unfortunate it has to be this way, but Justin’s name is worldwide now & his music.”
3. Music was his life.
Carter's mother, Cindy McClellan, told ABC7 that his life revolved around his music.
"His music was his world," McClellan said. "He was always there for everybody."
Triple Threat Management is reportedly going to release the rest of Carter's music. The proceeds will go to his family.
"He was a wonderful artist," McClellan told Fox News. "He was the voice, he was the total package and we're trying to keep his legend [alive]."
According to his Facebook page, Carter grew up listening to country.
“His passion and drive stem from being influenced by some of the greats since he was just a child," the page reads. "He grew up listening to Waylon, Hank, George and Jones. Some of his favorites are Clay Walker, Garth Brooks and George Strait.”
4. He had two daughters.
Carter was a father of two. He leaves behind his two daughters, Dixie and Kaylee. According to McClellan, Carter wanted to be a successful country star to "take care of his family."
5. A GoFundMe page was created.
Carter's family created a GoFundMe page to raise money to transport his body from Houston to San Antonio. The donations will also go toward his funeral costs. As of Friday, the campaign had raised over $300.
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.