Posted on 01/29/2021 4:34:49 AM PST by marktwain
Des Moines police last week investigated what appears to be a crime of opportunity that turned deadly when the victim of a street robbery returned fire and fatally shot his alleged assailant, according to a police spokesperson.
Randle Cody Jr., 45, died Wednesday from multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The medical examiner classifies deaths as natural, accidental, homicide, suicide or undetermined. A determination of homicide means only that a person was responsible for another person’s death and does not necessarily indicate criminal culpability.
Around 4 p.m. Wednesday, several people called 911 after hearing gunshots in the 22900 block of 30th Avenue South, said Des Moines police Sgt. Dave Mohr.
He said the police investigation found that a 31-year-old Renton man had reported his car stolen on Jan. 18 and two days later, the vehicle was located by Des Moines police officers, said Mohr. The owner asked that the car not be impounded and he went to his vehicle’s location on his motorcycle to await a tow truck.
While the 31-year-old was waiting, an SUV pulled up, driven by a 30-year-old Kent man with a 45-year-old Tukwila man as a passenger, said Mohr. The 45-year-old got out of the SUV and struck up a conversation with the Renton man about his motorcycle, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
The 31-year-old Renton man and the SUV’s driver were both interviewed by officers and Des Moines police have since sent their case to King County prosecutors to be reviewed. The Renton man was not arrested or booked into jail.
“To my knowledge, it’s just an odd coincidence,” Mohr said of the encounter, adding there’s no evidence the 45-year-old was involved in stealing the Renton man’s car. “The 31-year-old was just a victim of opportunity for the two in the SUV.”
Mohr said the 31-year-old was legally in possession of a handgun and had a valid concealed pistol license at the time of the fatal shooting.
Could very well have been the people who stole the vehicle in the first place.
justified homicide
Heartwarming story. I love happy endings.
Am I missing something? Des Moines is in Polk Co. IA but Seattle and the other towns mentioned are in King Co. WA!
It's Des Moines Washington, south of Seattle.
“Am I missing something? Des Moines is in Polk Co. IA but Seattle and the other towns mentioned are in King Co. WA!”
Des Moines, WA - Official Website | Official Website
https://www.desmoineswa.gov/
Anyone who's ever been in one of these situations knows it's not exactly hartwarming.
Someone pulls up, you know they're intent on harassing or robbing you, they know they're intent on harassing or robbing you, but you have to play nice. It's how they get in close. You have to shut this down fast by not even taking the questions. "There's nothing here for you" is about the limit of what I'm willing to say.
The ultimate ending is great. I get these pangs just reading about it though. It's this sinking feeling that it's about to get ugly.
There’s a “write a prisoner” pen pal profile for a matching name, age, town.
It would seem the now room temperature perp was recently released into society.
Beat me by 2 min ;-)
But at least you can help stick him in the ground!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-randle-cody-aka-dude
Like I said above, you can always chip in to bury him!
Good shoot....
“Mohr said the 31-year-old was legally in possession of a handgun and had a valid concealed pistol license at the time of the fatal shooting.”
Good to know the victim was “legally in possession” of his firearm.
Gee, I wonder why there’s no mention of whether the perp, who has assumed room temperature, was “legally in possession” of his firearm???
On a side note, if the victim wasn’t “legally in possession” of his firearm, would he not have been able to use it to protect his life??? The screwy part about these types of stories, is the inference that you have to be “legally in possession” of a firearm to protect your life.
According to the laws of nature, NO YOU DON’T!
Lighten up. I would not wish what that guy has to do on anyone. I would never want to have to defend my life by taking someone else’s.
But I would.
From the Go Fund Me page:
“Randle “Dude” Cody taken from us too soon. He was a Father, Son, Brother, cousin and best friend- he was like my brother”
They left off the part where he was a thief and armed robber.
Wonder if he had a criminal record . . .
This will be interesting to follow. I too have a CCP in WA state. Let’s see if he’s charged.
He might be charged by a prosecutor trying to make a name for themselves. But he shouldn’t be according to Washington state law:
CW 9A.16.110
Defending against violent crime—Reimbursement.
(1) No person in the state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever for protecting by any reasonable means necessary, himself or herself, his or her family, or his or her real or personal property, or for coming to the aid of another who is in imminent danger of or the victim of assault, robbery, kidnapping, arson, burglary, rape, murder, or any other violent crime as defined in RCW 9.94A.030.
The big item here is “reasonable means”. If the bad guy has already drawn a gun (as in this situation), IMHO, “reasonable means” is pretty much anything available at hand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.