Justin Morris, 27, was shot and killed on April 19, 2022, in the parking lot at Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach, California. Morris, a fire spinner and performer known to friends as Fluffy, had been at the beach with a group practicing for an upcoming Burning Man performance and had just finished recording a video when a car began driving erratically in the lot. According to witnesses, Morris and his friends asked the driver to slow down, an altercation followed, and the driver returned with three other individuals; the confrontation escalated and Morris was fatally shot. Friends and first responders attempted aid, but Morris succumbed at the scene.

The Long Beach Police Department opened an investigation; no arrests have been announced and the suspects fled immediately after the shooting. Detectives have been gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, but investigators say vague suspect descriptions and the chaotic circumstances have complicated identification. The fire conclave and Morris’s friends have described him as positive and dedicated to his art and say he was trying to protect others during the altercation. If anyone has information that could help identify the suspects or clarify what happened, please contact the Long Beach Police Department.