Armed citizens making a difference thread.

[internet troll]

https://www.abqjournal.com/2395867/j...-shooting.html

Jury acquits gunman in fatal 2019 skate park shooting
By Olivier Uyttebrouck / Journal Staff Writer Tuesday, June 1st, 2021 at 4:56pm
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. * A Bernalillo County jury acquitted a man who successfully argued that he was defending himself when he fatally shot 33-year-old Cody Raver near an Albuquerque skate park in 2019.

The 2nd Judicial District Court jury acquitted Steven Beck, 39, on Friday of second-degree murder and manslaughter, court records show.


The Bernalillo County Courthouse in Downtown Albuquerque.
Video evidence shown in the trial last week showed Beck approach Raver with a pistol and fire the fatal shots outside the Los Altos Skate Park, attorneys said Tuesday.

Beck*s attorney, Kari Morrissey of Albuquerque, said the shooting occurred after men at the skate part beat Beck and kicked him in the head, leaving him temporarily unconscious.

Morrissey argued at trial that Beck had tried to leave the area several times but was pursued and confronted by attackers each time.

*There is a limit on how many times you get to beat somebody and threaten them under the law before you get to defend yourself,* Morrissey said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

*At some point you get to use your gun and shoot somebody, and that*s what he did,* she said.

Morrissey also told jurors that Raver pursued Beck and threatened to hit him with a heavy traffic cone when Beck turned and fired his pistol in self defense.

Prosecutors countered that Beck had started the fight with people at the skate park that did not initially include Raver, Assistant District Attorney Jordan Machin said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

Raver did not participate in the beating, Machin said. Raver became involved only after he learned Beck had a pistol and had pointed it at others, she said.

Raver chased Beck west on Lomas NE in an effort to get him away from the park, Machin said. Beck ran nearly as far west as Interstate-40 before he turned back and fired the fatal shots at Raver, she said.

[internet troll]

https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/1-...lloch-co-home/

1 injured in shooting at Bulloch Co. home
Joseph LeonardJun 2, 2021 / 11:20 AM EDT
Crime & Safety
Posted: Jun 2, 2021 / 11:30 AM EDT / Updated:

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) * One person was injured in a shooting at a home in Bulloch County.

According to Bulloch County Sheriff*s Office (BCSO), deputies found David Martin suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. The incident occurred around 5 p.m on June 1 on the 6500 block of Mud Road.

Martin received aid at the scene but was transferred via air evac to a Savannah hospital for further treatment.

Deputies say Martin walked onto the home uninvited and began screaming at the homeowners. The homeowner said he shot Martin in self-defense because he feared Marin may cause harm to himself and his wife.

Martin will face criminal charges for acts committed against the homeowners once he*s released from the hospital, deputies said.

Martin was attempting to enter the home but was asked repeatedly by the residents to leave. After unsuccessful attempts to enter the front door, Martin walked around back into the family*s shed. The residents told deputies that Martin wasn*t making sense and was screaming about *demons and the devil.*

Police said Martin approached the male resident which triggered a warning shot into the ground. The resident said he was attempting to stop Martin from physically assaulting him and his wife. The warnings didn*t stop Martin, so the resident shot Martin in the leg, deputies said.

The residents told deputies they don*t know Martin or why he came to their home.

BCSO Sheriff Brown said residents should call law enforcement when dealing with uninvited persons, however, if one feels physically threatened, defending yourself with a firearm is legal.

[internet troll]

https://www.wchstv.com/news/local/wi...ty-in-shooting

Williamson nurse who made headlines helping COVID patients is found not guilty in shooting
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) —
The Mingo County Circuit Clerk's Office says Amy Jolene Thorn was found not guilty May 13 of a malicious assault charge. (WCHS)
A Williamson nurse who made headlines after she traveled to New York to help treat COVID-19 patients was found not guilty in connection with a shooting.

The Mingo County Circuit Clerk’s Office said Amy Jolene Thorn, also known as Amy Jolene Ford, was found not guilty May 13 of a malicious assault charge.

A criminal complaint filed in Mingo County Magistrate Court said Thorn shot another woman on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, near the 800 block of Vinson Street in Williamson.

Williamson Police Chief Grady Dotson said Thorn shot the woman in the abdomen and claimed the shooting was self-defense.

Police confirmed that Thorn is a nurse who traveled to New York to help COVID patients. Thorn also was invited to attend the Republican National Convention.

Dotson said the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident and was doing well.

[internet troll]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-m...pting-break-in

Florida man with history of mental illness shot and killed while attempting a break-in, police say
Aaron Pischer had one prior arrest for theft according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office

Bradford Betz27 mins ago
Fox News Flash top headlines for June 2

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

A Florida man with a history of mental illness was shot and killed late Tuesday while trying to break into a home, investigators said.

Deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff*s Office received a call around 11:04 p.m. local time from the family of 29-year-old Aaron Pischer, who said he had been experiencing mental health issues and had appeared to be disoriented.

Aaron Pischer
Aaron Pischer (Sarasota County Sheriff's Office )
But by the time deputies arrived at the family*s home at 4180 47th St in Sarasota, Pischer was already gone. While the deputies were attempting to look for Pischer, they received another call regarding a shooting at a home half a mile away.

Responding to the call, police found that Pischer had attempted to break into a home, and the homeowner*s son shot him in self-defense, deputies said.

The homeowner*s son is heard on the 911 call recording obtained by WTVT, the Fox-owned station in Tampa, telling a dispatcher: "I*m locked in my dad*s closet. Please get here quick. I don*t know if there*s more."

YOUNG ADULTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA FACE HIGHEST SUICIDE RISK, STUDY SAYS

"I shot him. He started charging me. He picked up one of dad*s plants on the front yard and he charged me," he says.

The home where police say Pischer tried to break in.
The home where police say Pischer tried to break in. (FOX 13)
The sheriff*s office said the homeowner*s son has opted to keep his identity private. There was no relation between him and Pischer, the sheriff's office said.

Pischer had a known history of mental illness and had one prior arrest in Sarasota County * for theft * in 2018, according to the sheriff*s office.

[internet troll]

https://thepostmillennial.com/watch-...-home-invasion


WATCH: Dallas man holds burglar at gunpoint after home invasion

A good guy with a gun stopped a bad guy. Miami Houstan of Texas shared a video on Instagram that shows him encountering a burglar when he returned home Memorial Day weekend. When Houstan returned home he can be seen knocking on his own door to which the robber complies and opens it. Houstan then order the robber to "get down" and proceeds to hold him at gunpoint.

After lecturing and humiliating the robber for several minutes Houstan appears to allow the robber to leave without calling the police. Houstan tells the camera that people "make mistakes" and that the robber is lucky that he has "sympathy in {his} heart."


The caption reads in part, "This man broke into my home on memorial while I was gone …most would have shot and killed him but I wanted him to understand that he doesn’t have to live his life this way …this could happen to anyone watching this ……stay safe stay aware …no everyone in life get second chances."
Houstan then walks the robber all the way out the door, the whole time lecturing him and telling him how lucky he is that he "didn't catch {Houstan} two years ago" because Houstan said he would have "beat {him} definite [sic]."

[internet troll]

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/06...iple-shooting/

NYPD: 1 Dead In Williamsburg Triple Shooting
Ali BaumanJune 3, 2021 at 6:59 pm
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) * At least one person is dead after a triple shooting in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon.

The NYPD said the incident appears to be a home invasion gone wrong, adding the person who was trying to break into an apartment was killed. The Williamsburg crime scene remains very active.

CBS2*s Ali Bauman has learned that around 3:15 p.m. police were called to an apartment building on Broadway near Bartlett Street for reports of three people shot inside.

Police said a man tried to break into an apartment, he had a gun, and so did the two people inside the apartment

It is unclear who opened fire first, but the intruder was shot in the face and pronounced dead at the scene.

The man who was inside the apartment was shot in the torso. He is in critical condition at a local hospital, and a woman who was inside the apartment was shot in the arm. She was also rushed to a hospital and was listed in stable condition.

Police have not made any arrests. They were still conducting interviews, looking for witnesses and surveillance video, and trying to figure out what exactly happened.

[internet troll]

https://qfm96.com/news/061160-woman-...-downtown-bar/


Woman dies outside downtown bar
COLUMBUS – A woman died after being shot at a downtown bar early Thursday.

Officers dispatched to the area E. Main Street between S. 3rd and S. 4th streets on a shooting at 1:41 a.m. found Teaira Harris lying in the parking lot at the rear of the Pelican Room Lounge, 122 E. Main Street, with a gunshot wound, Sgt. David Shimberg of the Homicide Unit said.

Harris, 26, was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in critical and was pronounced dead at 4:21 a.m.

Officers detained Darren Dempsey, 43, and several witnesses who had remained at the scene.

Initial statements indicated that Harris pulled a gun during one of a number of small fights that had broken out and pointed it at several people, including Dempsey, who fired his weapon in self-defense, Shimberg said.

No charges had been filed early Thursday and Shimberg says the results of the investigation will be turned over to the Franklin County Prosecutor for grand jury review and determination.

This was the 85th homicide of the year in Columbus.

A 20-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder in the shooting death of another man on the Northeast Side last month, Sgt. James Marable said.

John Drummond charged in connection with the death of Elliott Raspberry, who died after being shot at an address in the 4286 Dresden Street on May 15.

[internet troll]

We*ll see how this one goes

https://www.staugustine.com/story/ne...da/7524688002/

Man claims self-defense in fatal shooting of Adam Amoia in downtown St. Augustine
Man told police Amoia punched him 3-4 times

A 30-year-old St. Augustine man said he shot Adam Amoia in downtown St. Augustine early Saturday morning in self-defense, according to a city police officer.

Amoia, 37, died after the shooting outside of the Dos Gatos bar at 66 Hypolita St.

The St. Augustine Police Department released a heavily redacted incident report on Thursday, which included a report from one of the officers involved in the case.

The report also lists the name of the man who said he shot Amoia. The St. Augustine Record is not naming him because he has not been charged with a crime.

The St. Augustine Police Department and the 7th Judicial Circuit State Attorney*s Office are still investigating the case to determine whether charges are warranted.

"The elements of this incident are being greatly scrutinized by both agencies to ensure that the proper resolution is based upon all the facts of the incident," according to the police department. "Updates will be provided as the investigation continues. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Amoia Family and our community."

The 'unofficial mayor':St. Augustine shooting victim Adam Amoia remembered as generous champion of loved ones

Nightlife violenceowntown shooting incident underscores nightlife concerns, officials say

Adam Amoia with his dog Rosco. Amoia was fatally shot early Saturday morning outside the Dos Gatos bar in downtown St. Augustine.
Unredacted part of report gives officer's account

The unredacted part of the report comes from Officer E.L. Yarborough and provides his description of events at the scene and his conversations with the man at the police station.

As Amoia lay face down bleeding with people trying to help him, Yarborough approached the man identified by people at the scene as the shooter.

The man, who had a swollen and bleeding lower lip, told him that Amoia had punched him three or four times * the shooter didn't reference Amoia by name in the report, so it isn't clear if the two knew each other. The man handed the officer a pair of bent glasses, and he told the officer about the gun in his pocket, which the officer took from him.

As the two walked to Yarborough's patrol car to go to the department for questioning, the man said the shooting was in self-defense, according to the report.

During questioning, the man told Yarborough what led the shooting.

"The subject again told me he was standing outside where he had met two guys with the same first name as him and began talking with them," according to the report. "The subject told me a guy then came up to him and began to punch him in the face three or four times. The subject told me he then shot the guy out of self-defense."

During the interview, the man asked how Amoia was doing.

"I told him that the person he shot had died," Yarborough wrote. He "told me 'I'm sorry' and 'I didn't want him to die.'"

[internet troll]

https://www.dailyindependent.com/new...b08c0d204.html

Not guilty in homicide case
Henry Culvyhouse | The Daily Independent46 min ago
CATLETTSBURG After three hours of deliberation, a Boyd County jury found a 48-year-old Ironton man not guilty on manslaughter charges.

James Reed was on trial this week in connection with the Aug. 13, 2019, fatal shooting of 30-year-old Lawrence “Meech” McCoy. Throughout the trial, public defender Brian Hewlett contended Reed shot McCoy in order to defend his stepdaughter, who was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of the decedent.

Prior to being shot, McCoy held a gun to his girlfriend’s head and threatened to kill her, according to testimony. He had beaten her earlier that day, according to testimony.

When Judge John Vincent read the verdict, Reed and Hewlett erupted with emotion, hugging one another and shedding tears. After nearly two years in the Boyd County Detention Center awaiting his trial, Reed would walk away a free man.

“We’re going to go catfishing, I promise,” Hewlett told his client.

After the verdict, Hewlett said both families have been through pain and tragedy.

“James’ family has been through a lot and Meech’s family has been through a lot,” he said. “We have to remember, there is a family grieving. James Reed did what he had to do to protect his family and today a Boyd County jury told us that tonight.”

The verdict comes after a three-day trial on charges of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter and reckless homicide. While the state initially charged Reed with murder, assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Christina Smith said they had reduced the charge prior to trial.

A charge of being a felon in possession of handgun and a persistent felony offender charge were on the table only in the event of a conviction, Smith said.

Included in jury instructions were instructions about self-defense and protecting another, stating both can be justifiable reasons for taking another life under circumstances in which it is believed a life is in danger.

When asked for comment following the verdict, Smith declined to give one.

On Wednesday, the jury heard closing statements from the defense and prosecution. During his statements, Hewlett contended that his client was a “patient man” who tried to take McCoy under his wing. But his actions that day — protecting his stepdaughter, who he looked upon as his own flesh and blood, from being further beaten by a man high on cocaine and drunk — were brave, Hewlett said.

“He knew what he was walking into. Eight feet away on the front porch of that home, he heard things start again, knowing he had beat her early that day. He knew Meech was on an ankle monitor for threatening to kill an Ironton Police officer,” Hewlett said. “But walked in there anyway to protect his family.”

Hewlett reminded the jury that Reed, who had also been drinking, didn’t shoot McCoy in the head, the heart or executioner style.

“He neutralized him and that was it,” Hewlett said. “If I’m James Reed and I’m assessing this situation, that this man threatened to kill a police officer, he was going to jail the next day and he grabbed a gun. Is that irrational? No, he was brave.”

Hewlett also pointed out that Reed didn’t hide the crime, nor did he tamper with any evidence. Admitting he should’ve gone to police following the shooting, Hewlett said the incident had traumatized Reed — people do weird things after a traumatic experience. And it’s a situation Reed still struggles with to this day, Hewlett said.

“James Reed knows that young Black men die in this country and he is not thrilled to have killed a young Black man,” Hewlett said. “But he wasn’t about to let a man kill his daughter, either.”

During Smith’s closing arguments, she stated that the actions in the moments before the shots were fired were up to debate — she recalled testimony from the stepdaughter stating that a struggle did not occur prior to the shooting. She also said protecting another statute only applies when there is a risk of death or serious physical injury, which could lead to death, disfigurement or the loss of an organ.

“There’s no doubt that Meech beat (the stepdaughter) earlier that day, but bruises fade,” Smith said. “I do not condone domestic violence and I prosecute those cases all the time. But the injuries he inflicted were not life-threatening.”

When Smith stated Meech had been shot in the back, Hewlett requested a side bar — when she resumed her argument, she backpedaled, stating “the angle of the shots were straight on and showed a more defensive position.”

Smith then went through the applicable charges in the case, pointing out where Reed’s conduct could warrant the conviction. Then she finally appealed to the jury about how McCoy died: alone, on a street after crawling out of his home in the 3400 block of Central Avenue.

“At the end of the day, a mother lost her son when she shouldn’t have. No one called 911 for him and they left him to die and bleed out alone,” Smith said.

During deliberations, the jury asked for transcripts of Reed’s interview with Ashland detectives at the Lawrence County (Ohio) Jail. Since no transcripts were introduced into evidence, the jury was hauled back into the court room to hear the recording.

In that interview, Reed said this:

“I feel bad about it, I’m sorry. But I’d do it again,” Reed said. “That’s my job, I’m a father. I have to protect my family. I saw my mom get beat her whole life and it ain’t happening with my kids.”

[internet troll]

NOPD: French Quarter homeowner shoots, kills intruder

The homeowner reportedly heard someone banging on the door of the home Thursday evening and approached with a gun.

NEW ORLEANS *
New Orleans Police Department say a homeowner fatally shot and killed an intruder at a Dauphine Street residence Thursday evening,

The homeowner reportedly heard someone banging on the door of the residence and approached with a gun.

After opening the door, police say an unidentified male lunged at the homeowner, who then shot the man.

The intruder died at the scene.

No further information has been provided.