Teen pulling prank killed by neighbor

The Palm Beach Post ^ | Sunday, October 26 | Sarah Eisenhauer and Cynthia Kopkowski

[alisasny]

From the little info we have all I know is a kid is dead because he was an idiot. I also liked the little tidbit in the story about how now that he was 16 he could get his drivers license. Lets see yesterday he was stupid enough to bother innocent homeowners by shudder....knocking and running but today he was not stupid enough to be a new driver. Something wrong with that picture. I am not niave and I know kids do stupid things but to play the boy up as a saint now after his stupid pranks got him killed is beyond this conservative parent.

[alisasny]

Regarding my post 281

A question to you:


WOULD THE KID BE ALIVE TODAY IF HE WASN'T DOING SOME STUPID PRANK?

It really is that simple.

[elfman2]

"I rather spend my (short) time assessing a risk by determining a reasonable reason to shoot, rather than trying to think up a reasonable reason not to shoot. Juries have the luxury of time looking for reasonable doubt that a person in possible mortal fanger doesn't have."

You know, I’m sure you would. So would I.

But we live in a society full of people stupid enough to vote for Clinton/Gore who might not be as wise as you and I when looking for that reason. We abdicate the responsibility of retaliatory use of force to police, and I think that it’s in all our best interest that we expect the person who goes beyond that, to end a life in order to protect his interests, to have to spend a precious second our two to “think up a reasonable reason not to shoot” before pulling the trigger.

[elfman2]

Thank you for your idealism definition in your profile. Best laugh of my day.

[Pharmboy]

She never said the kid deserved to die...I don't think anyone here said that. What many of us have been saying is that ultimately without the kid doing a dumb prank designed to annoy and harass, he would be alive.

[Lx]

"How can they call that self-defense?" said a family member who asked not to be identified. "If they thought it was a burglar, what kind of burglar knocks?"

A burglar looking to see if the homeowner is there or whether the coast was clear.

Having said that, judging only from what I've read, it sounds like the homeowner used bad judgment shooting the kid.

Now having said that, what if the kid is pretty big, it says he is in the article, had what looked like a weapon, was belligerent and didn't follow the homeowner's commands like asking him to back off or something along those lines and instead was trying to push his way into the house?

Here's the official statement: When Levin, a Palm Beach County businessman who lived alone, was awakened from his sleep by a knock at the door early Saturday, he armed himself with a handgun and answered it, deputies said. He told deputies he saw someone he believed was holding a weapon.

Levin fired one shot, hitting Drewes, according to deputies. The boy ran into a neighbor's yard and collapsed.

"He feared for his life," Carhart said of Levin, adding that the teenager was 6-feet-2 and 210 pounds. "So he's a big 16-year-old."

It seems to me that there just might possibly be something rather important left out of that statement. If the kid was playing door bell ditch, aren't you supposed to be gone when the door is answered?

Was there a possible beef between the two? Maybe threatening words were exchanged. The key thought to justify any firing is, "Am I in fear for me or my family's life?"

I don't have a problem with him answering the door armed, It's probably not a stretch to think it might be a little late for Girl Scouts selling cookies although it could be the software salesman from the CA commercial, Soooo, how much software do you want to buy...

It looks like four or more possible scenarios:

1) Homeowner panicked and killed an innocent kid whose only crime was possibly bad judgment.

2) The kid WAS carrying a weapon, although the police didn't find one.

3) Either person or both were on some drug that impaired their judgment.

4) The two might not exactly have been friends so the kid was messing with the guy.

I know it sounds cold hearted but I'm hoping that the homeowner made the correct choice for his sake although it looks bad for him. Especially after re-reading the article, the sixteen year old kid, Drewes doesn't exactly sound like a gang banger. Here are some quotes:

" A shattered Drewes family Saturday described Mark as an A student and soccer player, the type of kid who easily made friends with just about everyone he met. More relatives from Brazil are expected to arrive today, along with Mark's father, Gregory, who is captain of a private yacht and was in France Saturday."

"Family contends teen was shot in back"

"The sheriff's office would not release the name of the teenager who was with Drewes Saturday morning. Nor would it confirm the family's assertion that morgue officials told them Saturday afternoon that Drewes was shot in the back."

After first reading it, it sounded like the shooting was justified, now after re-reading it a few more times, it sounds like a tragic mistake that cost a promising kid his life. It doesn't sound like the homeowner is a cold blooded killer, more like he panicked and made a deadly wrong decision even though he has a CCW which means he has some training..

What a heartbreaking story for everyone involved.

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"NO but my kid would have been home sleeping and not pulling such a stupid prank in todays day and age."

"I guess you condone this behavior."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Well....let's just talk, okay? Of course I don't "condone" that type of behaviour.

I wouldn't think, and I would hope that my kids wouldn't do that either. They were and are being raised better, but sometimes kid's will do "stupid" things. As they aren't always under my direct supervision..and I cannot always keep them out of harm's way.

Now...to your original post. Taken with the context of the article in mind...I came to the conclusion, rightly or wrongly, that your mind-set was.."Tough luck for this kid...he shouldn't have been out at night anyway". Thusly your post came across to me....as cold, and emotionless. I'm sorry if you were offended by my reply.

FWIW-

[Osage Orange]

I understand that...See post #287

Thanks-

[Oztrich Boy]

Also, i forgot to mention that saying Mark was 6'2" 210lbs is a gross exaggeration. He was close to 6'0" and maybe 190 at most.

A stanger, at your door, after mid-night, that looks like 6'4"/250.

[Freedom2specul8]

Excellent questions!

I understand, but would you answer the door? NO

Or would you call through it to see who was there? MAYBE

Or peered out a window to see who was there? YES

Or maybe called 911 and ask someone to investigate. YES

The very last thing I'd do is open the door without knowing who was behind it. ME TOO

There've been too many home invasions for me to ever open the door that late at night without me knowing who it was...

[Twinkie]

It is such a sad situation. People this day and age
just simply do not love each other enough. Perhaps
we need God's help in this category.

[alisasny]

I was not at all offended by your reply to me, I am of thicker skin than that.

: )

The kid or should I say the 16 year old who had an unblemished record made a bad choice one night at the wrong home ( like someone else said)

Once in a while a childhood prank goes wrong, not the first and surely not the last.

And as usual we have too little info and the kid was a saint compared to the EVIL homeowner who is portrayed as a right wing gun hack who shoots to kill.

No the story does not portray that like I just did but if you reread the story it does just that.

Anyway all day i looked for new stories on this matter and since it did turn into a debate here I hope I or someone else will follow up on this.

BTW I am not a gun owner and I have had my car vandalized in front of my home 2 times.

[StolarStorm]

You didn't happen to deliver a cane (from London) october 20th around 3:00 am in Houston did you?

[stands2reason]

Please tell me how running to a doorbell ringing it and running away is up to no good. It's innocnent kids' fun.

Maybe when you're older and you have children you will understand how it is no good. You have no idea what is going on inside that house when you disturb it in the middle if the night.

[Freedom2specul8]

I can't get over how big the kid was..what on earth possessed that homeowner to open the door in the first place!

[alisasny]

Kim well one of us needs to follow up on this story. There is just too few details at this point.

The only thing that is true is that the kid would be alive had he not been harrassing his parents neighbors.

[Freedom2specul8]

Did you see how big the kid was? He's the size of an adult... I still can't get over how senseless this all was. How stupid the homeowner is for opening the door. That gunowner is a perfect example of someone who will experience exploitation by the gungrabbers. People like that guy are the reason groups like the brady bunch survive.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

To me, there are two "I don't understand" points to this story (so far). You just made of them. The other as has been stated several times is - if it's a ring and run game why was the kid still at the door?

[Freedom2specul8]

That's true....I'd like to know how many times the guy's door had been knocked on....because no one can jump out of his bed fast enough to catch the prankster on his porch. I've sat just feet from my door and couldn't catch up with the kids.

Another point..his age/mentality had not reached physical size..that's one major detail. Is it possible that he really didn't realize that his size wouldn't intimidate someone at 12:30 am? I understand knocking and running.. it still happens in our neighborhood..I just blow it off.

[stands2reason]

I agree. He acted in the wrong. There will always be people in this world that act in the wrong. And you never know if any particular stranger is that kind of person until it's too late...

I'm going to borrow part of Squantos' sign off--- Stay safe!