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A 21-year-old Magna man has admitted fatally shooting a concert promoter outside a Salt Lake City nightclub in 2014.

Quincy Earl Lawson was initially 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 for the death of 24-year-old Bradley Hancock, a singer and event promoter.

On Thursday, Lawson pleaded guilty to a reduced second-degree felony count of manslaughter, and all other charges were dismissed.

Lawson faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced May 24 by 3rd District Judge Ann Boyden.

During a March preliminary hearing, a witness to the Nov. 15, 2014, shooting testified that Lawson was defending himself from an assault and regretted firing his gun.

Lawson was jostling with other concertgoers in the mosh pit at the west-side club Core when he was shoved and challenged to a fight by Hancock, a singer and event promoter, Lawson's friend Austin James "AJ" Nelson testified.

When the pair took the dispute out to a parking lot, it escalated into a shooting, but only after Hancock threw a 4-inch chunk of concrete at Lawson's head, Nelson said.

"He knew that he messed up," Nelson said of Lawson. "He said, 'We never shoulda came here.' "

Charging documents say Lawson hung around the club, at 1444 S. 700 West, after being booted from the concert and then fired six shots at Hancock after he was asked to leave a second time.

An autopsy found Hancock was hit twice in the arm and once in the head by bullets from what police believe was a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. The weapon has never been recovered, Salt Lake City homicide Det. Chris Kotrodimos testified.

Lawson fled and was arrested the next day near Nephi.

Defense attorneys contend Lawson was acting in self-defense and prodded Kotrodimos about whether police might have arrested Hancock for an assault if the concrete block he had thrown had hit and injured Lawson.

"Probably," the detective said.

Nelson testified under subpoena from prosecutors. In exchange for his cooperation, Nelson was granted immunity from prosecution for his role in the events related to the shooting.

On the stand, Nelson admitted to knowing that Lawson had brought a gun with him to the club and to serving as Lawson's getaway driver after the shooting. He also conceded that he initially lied to police investigators because he feared being implicated in Hancock's slaying.

But when questioned by the defense, Nelson painted Hancock as the aggressor who badgered Lawson into leaving the venue after Lawson pushed Hancock's brother in the mosh pit.

Asked by defense attorney Sherry Valdez whether Lawson had gone to the club that night intent on causing trouble, fighting or killing Hancock, Nelson replied: "Absolutely not."

But he also didn't hesitate when Valdez asked about Lawson's actions after he ducked to avoid being struck by the concrete block Hancock had hurled at his head.

"When he came up, he just started shooting," Nelson said.