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Retired firefighter who fired shotgun at black teen asking for directions gets up to 10 years
NBC ^ | Nov. 13, 2018 | Minyvonne Burke

Posted on 11/13/2018 10:59:09 AM PST by yesthatjallen

A white retired firefighter in Michigan found guilty of firing a shotgun from his porch at a black teenager who knocked on his front door because he was lost was sentenced Tuesday to four to 10 years in prison.

Jeffrey Zeigler, dressed in a grey jumpsuit with his hands shackled in front of him, appeared in an Oakland County courtroom where a judge sentenced him to two to 10 years for one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and two years for one count of felony firearm. He was convicted on Oct. 12.

The sentences will be consecutive, meaning Zeigler will serve at least two years for the assault count and another two years for the firearm count, the judge said.

Zeigler, 53, was seen on home surveillance video around 8:20 a.m. ET on April 12 shooting at Brennan Walker as the teen fled down the street. Walker told police that he had missed his school bus that morning and got lost as he was walking through Rochester Hills.

Walker, 14, said he went to Zeigler's home to ask for directions to Rochester High School, where he is a freshman.

"I knocked on the door, stepped back, knocked, stepped back, and then a lady came downstairs yelling at me," he told NBC-affiliate WDIV in April.

Walker said Zeigler's wife picked up the phone to call police, reporting that “a black male was trying to break into her house.”

Ziegler, a retired Detroit firefighter, grabbed his shotgun and chased after Walker, firing one round as the teen fled.

"I was running away ... I was trying to run away faster and I heard a gunshot," Walker said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: assaultwithfirearm; attemptedmurder; backpackburglar; banglist; detroit; felony; felonyfirearm; guns; hatecrime; idiotwithshotgun; michigan; racism; rkba
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To: Vaquero
You can’t see the kid in the picture when the shot goes off.

Thank you, you just made my point.......What was the point in firing off a firearm in a neighborhood where such action is against the law at a subject who is definitely not a threat and running away unless you were intending on hitting him?..........

Warning shot was a failed defense argument...........LOL!

121 posted on 11/13/2018 2:42:14 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Blue Jays
It would not surprise me in the least if that kid hasn’t the foggiest idea of where his school is located.

Thank you! I'm familiar with that area and the bus routes are so convoluted, in and out of subdivisions, that I would have a problem

There is a school two miles north of me that backs up to a friend of mine's back yard that I have no idea on how to get to their school parking lot. We're talking subdivisions, subdivisions and subdivisions. There is no rhyme or reason on how or why they have been laid out, street navigation is a nightmare..........

122 posted on 11/13/2018 2:51:46 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: DiogenesLamp

Just conjecture, but someone who displays the bad judgement this guy did, strikes me as one who might double down on the “rightness” of his actions. He apparently did say during the trial that he fired a “warning shot”, which is pretty stupid, since the “threat” at that point was at least 30 yards away and doing his best Jessie Owens imitation.

You’d think with a good lawyer, he could have ended up with a lot less time and a good deal of that on probation.


123 posted on 11/13/2018 2:59:12 PM PST by Tijeras_Slim
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To: DiogenesLamp
I also think that if this were a white kid involved, no charges or no serious charges would have been filed.

Based on your previous comment where you alleged the jury was from Detroit, wouldn't it be consistent with your inherent racist comment that the jury would have been more inclined to convict the home owner if it WAS a white kid?

Nice Try.............

124 posted on 11/13/2018 2:59:41 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: DiogenesLamp
What is the normal punishment for discharging a firearm in a neighborhood?

What should be the punishment for attempting to shoot a fleeing doorbell ringer in the back while they are running away?

Sorry, not playing your game........

125 posted on 11/13/2018 3:02:05 PM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Hot Tabasco; Blue Jays; Tijeras_Slim; PghBaldy; Blue Highway; HamiltonJay
To put things in perspective.

Caregiver who left 4-year-old girl to die in hot car fined just $25

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3705559/posts

This country has lost it's f***ing mind.

126 posted on 11/13/2018 3:02:49 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Tijeras_Slim
He apparently did say during the trial that he fired a “warning shot”, which is pretty stupid, since the “threat” at that point was at least 30 yards away and doing his best Jessie Owens imitation.

I think rational people realize he fired a "don't come back" shot, and only that if it was done intentionally. If it was an accidental discharge, than it was just carelessness with no mens rea.

You’d think with a good lawyer, he could have ended up with a lot less time and a good deal of that on probation.

For a non event, he should have ended up with an acquittal. Oh, he should have got a discharging firearm charge, but not much beyond that.

127 posted on 11/13/2018 3:06:47 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Tijeras_Slim

"...bad judgement..."


Completely agree, Tijeras_Slim.

This moronic retired firefighter is the last person a sane person would wish as a prudent neighbor.
Look at how close that home is located across the street.

It is morningtime in a suburban area. People walking dogs, driving on the street, or going to collect the newspaper.
All sorts of things he likely didn’t assess. We know the retired firefighter lies based upon his “tripping” testimony.


128 posted on 11/13/2018 3:11:35 PM PST by Blue Jays ( Rock hard ~ Ride free)
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To: DiogenesLamp

<<And here we go again with the REPETITION of a false claim. Again, here is proof that he did not fire the gun at someone.

I saw the video - he most certainly did fire the gun AT SOMEONE.

<<No one was hit. Therefore no gun was fired at anyone. Capiche?

Since when does shooting at someone and missing qualify as not shooting at someone?

It’s just called a bad shot where I’m from.

<<Cause you can tell from the video? Bullsh*t. Why wasn’t the kid hit then?

Are you mentally challenged? Just view the video again - tis’ not that long. He DELIBERATELY AIMS AND SHOOTS AT THE 14 YEAR OLD KID AS HE WAS RUNNING AWAY.

<<You need to go to prison for some frivolous charge. You need a dose of the same miscarriage of justice you are so willing to visit on others.

If I shot at an unarmed kid running away from my house after he knocked on my door and I answered with a shotgun... heck yes I’d expect to go to jail.


129 posted on 11/13/2018 3:12:50 PM PST by quasimodo_79
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To: Hot Tabasco
Based on your previous comment where you alleged the jury was from Detroit, wouldn't it be consistent with your inherent racist comment that the jury would have been more inclined to convict the home owner if it WAS a white kid?

Other than your deliberate insult, I don't quite understand your point above. I initially believed that if it were a white kid who had been chased off with a shot gun, nothing would have happened.

Now that you've told me this was an affluent white neighborhood, I now think they would have filed charges for any gun usage, regardless of how frivolous.

I originally thought this was about perceived racism. I now think it was about liberal advocacy of gun control and excessive punishment for gun owners/users. It may still have some elements of perceived racism in it, because liberals will incorporate more than one wedge issue if they see a means to do it.

In most normal places in the US, this would not have turned into a 4 to 10 felony. It would have probably been a fine and maybe a little time in the county.

Firefighter's good deeds also did not save him. He should have been a cop. They would have closed ranks and protected him. The DA wouldn't have even charged him.

130 posted on 11/13/2018 3:13:58 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: Hot Tabasco
What should be the punishment for attempting to shoot a fleeing doorbell ringer in the back while they are running away?

If he didn't actually shoot someone, discharging a fire arm within city limits.

Sorry, not playing your game........

No, you're playing a different game. One in which you make up sh*t and expect other people to go along with it.

If he had shot the kid, the kid would have been killed or injured. Therefore he did not shoot the kid.

131 posted on 11/13/2018 3:17:09 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: quasimodo_79

"...just view the video again..."


Agree with all your points, quasimodo_79.

That poster has proudly stated multiple times that he/she has chosen to NOT view the video for whatever reason.
The nitwit retired firefighter also had the option of not answering his door.
People act as if one must unlock and answer their door whenever they hear a knock or the doorbell chiming.


132 posted on 11/13/2018 3:21:36 PM PST by Blue Jays ( Rock hard ~ Ride free)
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To: Blue Jays
We know the retired firefighter lies based upon his “tripping” testimony.

Tripping, stumble, misstep, potato potahtoe. You characterize it as a "lie" because you want to. It might be a lie, but it might also be an exaggeration or misspoke. According to what someone else said, it looked like he accidentally discharged the gun. Perhaps he did "trip" over something, or misstepped with his foot.

How about a little objectivity for a change? No one got shot, therefore no one was shot at.

133 posted on 11/13/2018 3:22:49 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp

<<If he had shot the kid, the kid would have been killed or injured. Therefore he did not shoot the kid.

He didn’t shoot the kid, he shot at the kid. While he was running away. After having knocked on his door.

What part of that do you not understand? It’s illegal in every state, even those with the Castle Doctrine in place.


134 posted on 11/13/2018 3:22:49 PM PST by quasimodo_79
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To: DiogenesLamp; Hot Tabasco; Blue Jays; Tijeras_Slim; PghBaldy; Blue Highway; HamiltonJay

This idiot was convicted of firing a handgun during a road rage incident back in 2004.

“A Warren police report reviewed by The Detroit News reveals Jeffrey C. Zeigler, then 39, was stopped and arrested by police after a 43-year-old Clawson man reported him as the motorist who fired a handgun at him on westbound Interstate 696 after the two men “flipped off” each other about 3 p.m. Dec. 13, 2004.”

So now this all makes more sense. Guy is a hothead and quick to brandish and fire his guns. Had he lost his 2nd Amendment rights at that point, this crap might not have happened.


135 posted on 11/13/2018 3:24:12 PM PST by ETCM
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To: DiogenesLamp

<<Tripping, stumble, misstep, potato potahtoe. You characterize it as a “lie” because you want to. It might be a lie, but it might also be an exaggeration or misspoke. According to what someone else said, it looked like he accidentally discharged the gun. Perhaps he did “trip” over something, or misstepped with his foot.

<<How about a little objectivity for a change? No one got shot, therefore no one was shot at.

Dude you have some serious problems - no one got shot so no one got shot at?

You can’t be serious? And you call yourself a freeper?

There was no “accidentally discharged the gun” - there was deliberate aiming and shooting as seen on the perp’s home surveillance video.


136 posted on 11/13/2018 3:24:54 PM PST by quasimodo_79
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To: quasimodo_79
Since when does shooting at someone and missing qualify as not shooting at someone?

When you are doing it with a shotgun.

Are you mentally challenged? Just view the video again - tis’ not that long.

Can't see the video. Browser won't play it.

He DELIBERATELY AIMS AND SHOOTS AT THE 14 YEAR OLD KID AS HE WAS RUNNING AWAY.

Didn't know the video sighted down his barrel. You can tell where he is aiming by the camera on his porch? Must be some camera. And the kid didn't get hit? Must be some lousy shot.

Maybe if I can see the video i'll agree with you, but from what i've got to work with, it seems ridiculous. Someone wants to kill someone with a shot gun, it's not terribly difficult. If he had missed, and fired again and again, then you've got a different situation.

Fired once, didn't hit? Wasn't trying to kill the kid.

137 posted on 11/13/2018 3:27:32 PM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp

<<Can’t see the video. Browser won’t play it.

That explains it. Willful ignorance and arguing for the sake of arguing.

I guess you won...


138 posted on 11/13/2018 3:29:19 PM PST by quasimodo_79
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To: Blue Jays

That’s what I get for not reading the whole thread. It wasn’t until he readily admitted he hadn’t viewed the video that I realized who I was dealing with....

Thanks for the clarification, friend.


139 posted on 11/13/2018 3:31:27 PM PST by quasimodo_79
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To: ETCS

"...So now this all makes more sense..."


Wow, good research and find, ETCS.
He was likely emboldened by that experience and felt he could shoot whenever he wished.
He clearly didn’t care about residing in a suburban neighborhood with any number of people, pets, things in reach of his shotgun pellets.


140 posted on 11/13/2018 3:32:59 PM PST by Blue Jays ( Rock hard ~ Ride free)
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