FL Parking Lot Shooting

[RevolverRob]

Stupid.

I'd like to say, all of this over a handicap parking space? But I once had the police come over an 'argument' about a handicap parking space with an irate man. And I thought I might have to shoot him he was sufficiently aggressive.

<I debated, but I guess I'll tell the story, I may have written about it here before>

I was in college and it was a Saturday and I'd gone out fishing. On my way back home I stopped by the Starbucks my roommate worked at. I didn't normally go to that store, because it was pretty far from our apartment, but it was near the fishing spot. So I pulled up and parked my Mustang out front and went inside for a drink. Maybe 10 minutes have passed and I'm chatting with my roommate and sipping my iced tea, when a man comes into the store.

"Who's Mustang is that outside?"

I turn and look over at the man and I say, "Mine. Can I help you?"

"You parked in a handicap spot you son-of-a-bitch."

"Excuse me?" - I look out the window and sure as your born, I had accidentally parked in a handicap spot. It was an honest mistake, the way the parking lot slopped, I simply didn't see the painted marking on the ground.

"There is no excuse for you, you piece of shit!"

"Sir, calm down. It was an honest mistake, I'll move the car now."

"Damn right you will, you fucker! I drive my handicap father around and I don't even park in handicap spaces when I don't have him with me, because it's wrong!"

At this point the man is moving closer to me and my roommate has already moved to call the cops, due to the man's agitated nature.

"Sir, you need to calm down. As I said, I'll go move the car."

"Don't tell me to calm down. And move the car already!"

"I can't drive my car and have a conversation with you, in this store, simultaneously."

And then he started towards me at which point my roommate cut in, "The police are on their way here. SIR. You're going to need to leave now, or I'll have you trespassed."

At which point the man becomes irate and starts screaming at me and my roommate, but fortunately for him, he stays fixed to the floor and just keeps yelling. About 45 seconds go and the first cop shows up, lights and siren blaring. They come in and immediately cuff and stuff the guy and then start figuring it out. When the cop asks for my ID and I produce a CHL and DL he asks me if I have a gun, "Yes sir, I do."

"Good thing this idiot didn't try to fight you, huh?"

I shrugged. The guy ended up with a trespass warning and advice to not scream at random people in stores, the cop said, "This is Texas, sir. You never know who might be armed."

I moved my car (after the police cruiser unblocked me), the cops confirmed that you could not, in fact, see the painted handicap emblem from the angle I parked at, and store management put up a handicap sign affixed to the column in front of the parking space so it could be seen to prevent such accidents from occurring. Thankfully, no shooting occurred.

Point is. I've seen stupid people get mad over stupid shit before, like a handicap parking space. And to have a guy become supremely angry at me, over an honest mistake, to the point where I seriously thought he might try to assault me, I can see precisely how something like the story above transpired. Of course in the OP story the roles are reversed. Regardless it holds - It's not your duty to police the world, if you don't like something call the police and be a good witness.

[GardoneVT]

I think we’re seeing a second take of the Trayvon/Zimmerman incident to some extent. There’s some glaring similarities:

I think anyone who was not on scene should refrain from further commentary until the case is concluded. Discussing this further will only lead to inconsequential speculation.

[TAZ]

Bad shoot. Unlikely that the shooter will get off. If he does it will be a miscarriage of justice that will be used to dismantle SYG laws.

He had a questionable right to draw, but as soon as the threat started to back away he had no right to pull the trigger. Given that the idiot shooter made previous threats against other parking spot violators, he will in the least be up for mental evaluation. Hopefully he is in jail for man slaughter or better yet murder.

[HCountyGuy]

I think anyone who was not on scene should refrain from further commentary until the case is concluded. Discussing this further will only lead to inconsequential speculation.

So we shouldn’t discuss the particulars of a case that has already gained national attention? Or are you frowning at my pointing out the similarities to the last infamous Florida case which was made out to be about SYG?

I thought the point of a forum was essentially commentary on issues. I don’t think my speculating to be completely off-base or rooted in ignorance.

[HCountyGuy]

Bad shoot. Unlikely that the shooter will get off. If he does it will be a miscarriage of justice that will be used to dismantle SYG laws.

Bolded is what I fear is going to happen.

I’d like this guy to serve a lengthy prison sentence, but I have doubts about it happening.

[HCountyGuy]

On my way back home I stopped by the Starbucks my roommate worked at.

See, that’s where you screwed up!

[blues]

I think anyone who was not on scene should refrain from further commentary until the case is concluded. Discussing this further will only lead to inconsequential speculation.

Hardly inconsequential, imho.

I personally believe it is of little value to compare it to the Martin - Zimmerman episode which would only detract from the current matter which should stand on its own merits...

...but I feel the discussion of this case, which we are neither presiding over nor going to be called upon to act as triers of the facts, is of value because it may help us visualize and internalize the elements of proper and legal use of deadly force versus when it is not justified by the facts and the law.

There have been many thoughtful posts which I feel can only help in this regard. If it might save one life, on either side of the equation, it will have been well worth the effort expended.

[GardoneVT]

Hardly inconsequential, imho.

I personally believe it is of little value to compare it to the Martin - Zimmerman episode which would only detract from the current matter which should stand on its own merits...

...but I feel the discussion of this case, which we are neither presiding over nor going to be called upon to act as triers of the facts, is of value because it may help us visualize and internalize the elements of proper and legal use of deadly force versus when it is not justified by the facts and the law.

There have been many thoughtful posts which I feel can only help in this regard. If it might save one life, on either side of the equation, it will have been well worth the effort expended.

Such philosophical and legal territory has been covered before, easily accessible via the handy menu called the “search” box. Without direct knowledge of the context behind this event, we are simply blind speculating.
The article is not an objective source , and video also omits context. Since the press is our only source about this event , we don’t know whether this was or was not justified...or really anything beyond that someone got shot in a parking lot, and it’s on tape. We are just as likely to draw the wrong conclusion at this point as the right one, which is why I believe we should wait until this incident is heard in court before discussing if this is justified.

Alternatively, if someone who was there is authorized to offer comment that will suffice as well. But as Zimmerman’s case proved, truth is not a guarantee when dealing with press releases.

[GardoneVT]

So we shouldn’t discuss the particulars of a case that has already gained national attention? Or are you frowning at my pointing out the similarities to the last infamous Florida case which was made out to be about SYG?

I thought the point of a forum was essentially commentary on issues. I don’t think my speculating to be completely off-base or rooted in ignorance.

My concern is not the case or discussion of it, but rather informed discussion of the facts. Right now those are in short supply. For obvious reasons the media is not a reliable source for use of force information.

[HCountyGuy]

My concern is not the case or discussion of it, but rather informed discussion of the facts. Right now those are in short supply. For obvious reasons the media is not a reliable source for use of force information.

To the best of my knowledge the video available is unaltered and depicts the highlights of the incident: the shove and the shot.

While I agree the context might not be 100% present, I think an informed decision could potentially be reached simply from review of the footage.