Posted on 06/11/2024 5:54:23 AM PDT by Decombobulator
The King County, Washington, Prosecuting Attorney's Office has charged a man with second-degree murder and assault, both felony counts, for allegedly shooting a teen he thought was holding a gun and who he believed was about to rob a sporting goods store.
Aaron Brown Myers, 51, told police he believed the 17-year-old victim had a gun and was going to rob a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in the Seattle suburb of Renton last Wednesday as the teen headed toward the retailer with two others, according to court documents filed by the prosecutor, Leesa Manion.
The boy was holding an airsoft gun, according to a police affidavit. An airsoft gun is a replica firearm that shoots low-power, nonmetallic pellets.
The two teens who were with the victim told police they were going to the sporting goods store to either return or exchange the airsoft gun because it was malfunctioning, the affidavit said.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
“Myers, who was armed with a registered semiautomatic pistol, told police he approached the teens with his gun out and told them to put their hands in the air, but no one complied,”
Not Guilty.
The shooter was an off-duty security guard who decided to play police officer. Stupid. And tragic.
Unfortunately, it’s something we see now and again. An armed (or even unarmed) citizen decides to set some stranger straight. That rarely ends well.
Sorry, this guy is going to prison. He made an observation, and acted on it. It was his false assessment of the situation that’s going to get him.
That was his story. It’s on video so the truth will come out.
“Mr. Myers sincerely believed that he was witnessing the beginning of an armed robbery...”
I’m sure a King County jury will be all so sympathetic towards Mr. Myers.
This is a terribly tragic and sad story. No good endings here.
Are you required to comply if you’re not doing anything illegal and some random stranger who is clearly not a cop demands you put your hands in the air?
So if a stranger walks up pointing a gun at me, I must comply or die?
Based solely on what’s in the article, Mr Meyer may have stepped in it.
Race riot incoming, or was the victim white?
I'd look at any videos that might exist,listen to any eye witnesses there might be,and look at the shooter's...and the kid's...background if I was a juror in this case.
Too bad he wasnt a cop who gets the benefit of the doubt on these shoots all the time. Saved us the consideration of holding the Darwin award vote.
Yikes! How did you get to ‘Not Guilty’?
“...and the kid’s...background if I was a juror in this case.”
At his trial, Mt. Myers can take the stand and explain to the jury how in eight seconds of looking at his victim, he understood everything about the kids background.
Step one: Check the “defective” airsoft gun and see if it’s actually defective.
A youth in my small Texas town did a drive by with a nonlethal ‘toy’ gun last week. There were at least three teenagers. The shooter was in the back seat. He rolled the window down and shot a family walking down the street. Mom, dad small daughter and baby in a stroller. If these kids end up dead the next time they pull that stunt, I won’t cry for them. Thankfully they only had minor wounds but were very shaken up.
So if a stranger walks up pointing a gun at me, I must comply or die?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thats not the point, although you would like it to be.
The question is whether the accused in his own mind perceived the victim to exhibit the ability to use deadly force.That is the test. It is subjective, not objective.
Given that is the fact, the accused was unable to form the
necessary intent to prove mens rea for murder.
THe worst he can get is “manslaughter.” With a well selected jury, the accused woud be found Not Guilty.
One should never walk around in public with any object that looks like a real firearm. Bad things happen. Witness what happend with Alex Baldwin on the set of Rust.
There is a lot of ignorance about how forearms and pseudo forearms must be handled. The victim shared in that ignorance.Baldwin is now under indictment in New Mexico because of that ignorance.
Same here in this case. Who was ignorant? The victim or the accused? THere are a lot of juvenile gansters runing around with guns in Seattle. In Chicago, Wasington DC,and NYC too.We likely will be seeing more of these tragedies.
The ignorance question is a nice question that will never be asked in a criminal trial.The law should be applied, even if we do not like the outcome.
When a person puts you under the gun, comply. Its a great way to avoid being shot.
Ignorance.Its happening all over the pace.
Never believe the media. Never. Distrust then verify.
See my post #18
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.