Posted on 05/05/2015 12:43:35 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The man charged with murder after a Blinn Student was killed at a graduation party over the weekend says it was an accident.
Ronald McNeil remains in the Brazos County Jail on $500,000 bond.
McNeil claims he accidentally pulled the trigger which hit three people and a home behind the party.
Joshua Miller lives behind the home where the party and shooting happened.
"The shot came right here and entered right here into the master bedroom right here and the round was found right underneath my bed over there," said Miller of San Saba Drive in College Station.
He was up late Saturday night when he heard what he first thought were fireworks.
"After about the eight or ninth one I heard the last one really hit my house and at that point my reaction was to go check on my son," Miller said.
Police say Ronald McNeil, was the man who fired those shots. One of them killed Lacie LaRose, a 19-year old Blinn College Student.
She was attending a graduation party at a home on San Benito Drive. Police say McNeil got into an argument with people at the party and was asked to leave when went to his house across the street and grabbed a gun.
College Station Police tell us one of their officers stopped by and asked people to quiet down at the party and close the garage. He came back after he heard gunshots.
"His quick reaction to identify the individuals and the vehicles and give out that description those other officers were able to quickly move in and catch Mr. McNeil before he had moved too much further out of the area," said Assistant Chief Chuck Fleeger with the College Station Police Department.
According to court records, McNeil claims the gun accidentally went off as he arrived back at the house and that he accidentally fired several more times while trying to open the gate to the backyard.
"Being a parent and just feeling for the parents of the young lady, it's hard and you know I can't imagine what that family is going through right now all over some senseless argument," said Miller.
McNeil was convicted of a felony drug charge in 2000, which means he's not allowed to own or carry a gun.
The other two people at the party who were shot were treated and released.
So far, no other arrests.
Police did talk with McNeil's friend.
He says the fight started because people used racial slurs towards them.
UPDATE: May 4, 1:58 p.m. The man accused of shooting three people during a Texas A&M graduation party, killing one of them, says it was an accident.
According to the Probable Cause Statement, Ronald McNeil told police people at the party were using racial slurs toward him and his friend. Things started “getting intense,” so he walked across the street and grabbed a gun from under his mattress.
When he got back to the party, McNeil says his friend was being assaulted. McNeil claims as he ran toward the fight, his gun accidentally went off. People took off running and McNeil followed. While trying to open the gate to the backyard, with his finger on the trigger, McNeil says he accidentally fired several times.
One of the bullets killed 19-year-old Lacie LaRose. Two other people were shot. A fourth bullet went into a house on the next street.
McNeil was convicted in 2000 for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, he is not allowed to own/carry a firearm.
McNeil's bond was set at $500,000.
May 3 College Station Police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened during a graduation party that went into the early morning hours.
Police say during that party at 905 San Benito Drive, people were watching the Floyd Mayweather/ Manny Pacquiao fight.
During the boxing match, 39 year old Ronald McNeil who is a neighbor came over but was asked to leave after a verbal argument turned physical.
Witnesses told police that around 3am Sunday morning, McNeil came back to the party with a gun and started shooting.
According to police, McNeil opened fire in the back yard, wounding two men and killing 19 year old Lacie LaRose.
The two men were treated and released from local hospitals.
McNeil was arrested and charged with Murder, Deadly Conduct, and two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
In a probable cause statement, police say McNeil claimed his shots were accidental.
According to records, police say that one of his shots went into a neighboring home, and that he has been convicted before for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Police say they are still investigating and gathering evidence related to this case.
It was an accident he pulled the trigger multiple times?
um...no...guilty.
Kind of defies logic doesn't it? At least he did not claim the Weapon was laying on the table, and say it suddenly jumped up and fired itself, like liberals claim. What a maroon.
I know huh.....one shot I could believe out of a semi auto....4?...no way.
BTW that’s why I carry a revolver.
And it’s a big one....if you arent running after the second BOOM then you are just an idiot.
(.357 S&W stainless 4” barrel, hollow points)
Countless thousands will believe him.
“It was an accident he pulled the trigger multiple times?”
How many times did he reload?
Speaking of big ones. I was at a shooting range in California recently, before leaving that rat state. They showed me a Sig 44 magnum. It was REALLY heavy and that was without any ammunition in it. I was impressed.
There are certain types of people who seem to have extremely short emotional fuses. My hypothesis is that this is evolutionary in nature, but I don’t know how to propound it without automatically being deemed a racist. It has to do with climate and body temperature.
I got a bud who deer hunts with a ruger 44 mag with an 8” barrel and scope.....been to the range with him.....that is the only gun louder then mine I have seen to date...
My .357 makes you ears ring....it’s super loud....the .44 was louder...
true story...when I went and got my CCW instructor cert....I was the only one who had a revolver...a couple guys had 9’s....a couple guys had 380’s...and a couple guys had .40’s....
I was the last one out on the range....I hear...
pop pop pop
bang bang bang
Then I started shooting....
BOOM BOOM BOOM....
After that everyone wanted to shoot my gun....
I’m old school.... a revolver has no safety, wont jam or stovepipe, and it goes off every time you pull the trigger.....it’s not a tactical firearm...it’s a self defense firearm.
And as an intructor...I always advise people to carry a revolver...especially women.
Cocked and locked is an accident waiting to happen if you dont carry for tacticle reasons....a revolver will simply save your live when you need it.
S&W makes a great lady gun...a .38 hammerless 3” barrel...perfect for a woman to handle.
And yes I always carry a couple speed loaders just in case.
OMG! Never heard of anyone being killed by a trigger...
On a serious note: Stupid gun-owner, bad gun-owner. Keep your finger off the trigger, if you do not intend to shoot.
Those triggers are really dangerous.
That “background check” must have failed somewhere along the line. Accidental multiple gun discharges is a poor excuse even for an idiot to make.
If there ever WAS a background check.
Too bad there wasn’t a “No Guns Allowed” sign.
Prayers for the young lady and her family. That’s not a call any family wants to receive.
The shooter’s using both the “didn’t mean to” AND the race card defense, to cover all bases.
And every shot just “accidently” went into the party.
Totally agree. A lot of women are attracted to the pretty pink & gray .380 semis, but without ample shooting experience, they can easily limp wrist jam them. A .38 revolver is the only way to go for the ladies.
Machines dont operate by accident.
Ya know, I think I might reconsider going to a party if I felt the need to be armed while attending.
Lots and lots of bad decisions here.
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