Retired firefighter who fired shotgun at black teen asking for directions gets up to 10 years

NBC ^ | Nov. 13, 2018 | Minyvonne Burke

[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.

[Vaquero]

That’s what I said

[jazusamo]

I didn’t interpret it that way.

There was a closed solid door with a glass storm door on the outside. Looked to me like the kid took a step forward when the man opened the solid door because the man appeared in the video right after the kid started running.

[Blue Highway]

Oh yeah I missed it the first time lol.

[Hot Tabasco]

How do we know he was running away?

Front porch surveillance camera. You could see him on the sidewalk moving away from the house and his legs going up and down really, really fast........

[ETCM]

I don’t see anything looking like malicious behavior by the kid (who looks a lot like a teenage Allen West). It seems like a serious case of over-reaction by the homeowners, and the kid was legitimately running for his life. It also appears to be a negligent discharge, not an intentional shot. The homeowner aims, then unshoulders the shotgun, then as he is leveling it again (with his finger on the trigger), it fires. The DA and Judge overreacted just as much as the homeowner.

[RegulatorCountry]

The kid’s story absolutely doesn’t add up and he probably actually was scoping out the house to see if anyone was home. But, firing a shotgun at him running away, with video from a security camera as evidence, in that state, means he broke the law. Shackles and a prison jumpsuit for this reeks of show trial, though. Sentence is excessive.

[Vaquero]

Saw it. You can’t see the black kid in the picture

[Responsibility2nd]

This is bullsh*t. 30 days in Jail at the most.

Yeah, but....  The kid was black. And that is all that matters. If it were a white kid, the idiot homeowner would not have fired, and if he did, this would not be news, and he would have done his 30 days.

[sargon]

He overreacted because his wife overreacted.

However, we'll never know this kids' true motive for knocking at this door asking for directions to the school he attends everyday.

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Discharging a firearm in the direction of an unarmed, fleeing youth is a serious lapse in judgement, and should carry consequences.

Additionally, let's not forget that the standard to be imposed in the accused in such a situation is supposed to be "would a reasonable person act in the same way, given their state of mind at that moment?". A jury might well find that the homeowner failed that test—notwithstanding the wife's clear overreaction to the situation.

Presuming that the accused was apparently found guilty by a jury of his peers, I don't have an issue with the convictions—assuming that said jury was fully informed. But having said that, I think that this sort of incident is better seen as a "no harm, no foul" situation, where "everyone has learned important lessons". Thus, putting this homeowner behind bars with some real criminals—especially for any significant length of time—is not what I'd consider "justice".

"Let the punishment fit the crime"; in this instance I am of the opinion that the penalty imposed was too severe...

[The Toll]

Anyone that believes this kid “missed the bus” and “was just asking for directions” is too gullible to live much longer in this country.

[Blue Jays]

"...leftist judge and jury..."

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The retired dumb firefighter sealed his fate by lying that he “tripped” and that made the shotgun fire.
Maybe he should try sharing that he and his wife had been burglarized in the past and he stupidly overreacted?
View the video. He is in a suburban neighborhood with homes across the street. What a remarkably moronic retired firefighter.

[Hot Tabasco]

Saw it. You can’t see the black kid in the picture

Then I suggest you go to the posted link again and watch the video. You see the kid walk up to the door, knock and then turn an run like hell as the guy comes out the door with a shotgun and open fires.......

[Hot Tabasco]

Farmers have been blasting away with shotguns at kids stealing watermelon for year

Not in highly populated neighborhoods where the discharge of firearms is against the law........

[Blue Highway]

At the end of the video in the link the reporter tells the hosts (Hoda? and Don Lemon?) that the husband and wife were on high alert after their home has had 5 previous break in's already (didn't say over what time frame). Considering the 5 break ins, this seems like a natural reaction, especially when the wife panicked.

Weird thing is, (I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the fake news madia anymore) the 2 black hosts side with the black kid. Directly after hearing about 5 previous break ins, Hoda's immediate response, "it's hard to argue with video that shows what happened." Then the male host says "you can't even see the man trip". Pretty quick to give their opinion without a shred of racism there. /s

[Blue Highway]

Strange circumstance where a homeowner’s personal security cameras’ footage bites them in the a$$, and is used against them.

[Blue Jays]

"...I suggest you go to the posted link again and view the video..."

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Concur with you 100%.

I swear that with the way some bloodthirsty FReepers are posting they will help ensure we lose our Second Amendment rights after all.
The retired firefighter could have remained safely behind his locked doors...but, no...he willfully goes outside and starts shooting where no threat existed.

[Blue House Sue]

It’s not the kid’s problem that there were previous attempts to break into that house.

But it is the perp’s problem that he fired those shots.

And he can ponder that for the next ten years.

[DiogenesLamp]

I’m sure the police and DA were convinced the kid was telling the truth, they’re not in the habit of going after retired firefighters.

Looks to me like this guy really screwed up and is darn lucky he missed the kid.

I looked the place up. "Rochester Hills" Oakland county Michigan is right outside of Detroit. Detroit is 82% black, and so I assume the prosecutors and jury were also black. I think they were projecting their belief in whites motivated by racism onto this guy, and wanted to make an example out of him.

Here is the Oakland county prosecutor. White Female.

Here are the candidates for Oakland district 46th court.

I don't think the guy missed the kid. I don't think he was aiming at the kid. Hard to miss with a shotgun.

[Blue Jays]

"...five previous break-in attempts..."

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If he was so fearful he should have remained behind his locked doors, with his shotgun, and immediately called 9-1-1.

[Blue Highway]

You’re assuming the kid’s story is true, but you honestly buy the story of he missed the bus and got lost to school?