Fatal shooting - argument in parking lot

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Sunny said:
So, which one exactly "set the scenario in motion?" The guy who committed a minor parking infraction, or the guy who started verbally abusing his girlfriend?

This is what happens when you have private citizens trying to enforce their version of the law.
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Very simple, who ever pulled the car into the handicapped parking spot.

"This is what happens when you have private citizens trying to enforce their version of the law."

There is no 'their version' of the law...the law as written, is the only version. Unless you were privy to all or part of the verbal exchange ? to which the rest of us are not.
 

StarSong said:
Just to be clear, it sounds like you're ok with some pistol packing one-man vigilante shooting a grandchild of yours to death for the dastardly offense of parking in a handicap spot and not backing off when taken to task by someone who appointed himself sheriff of the parking lot?

For the record, I'm not ok with that for my grandchildren - or for yours, for that matter.

Good grief, Florida. Repeal this idiotic law already!
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I never said anything of the sort, or even, mentioned it...I'd appreciate you not putting words in my mouth, & or attempting to try and think for me...What I did say is, considering the sequence of events, as reported, the driver is the one that set the scenario in motion. Therefore the driver is ultimately responsible for the entire scenario to the end.
 
Bottom line for me is that as long as FL has this law on its books it won't be seeing any of my tourist dollars.
 

rgp said:
I never said anything of the sort, or even, mentioned it...I'd appreciate you not putting words in my mouth, & or attempting to try and think for me...What I did say is, considering the sequence of events, as reported, the driver is the one that set the scenario in motion. Therefore the driver is ultimately responsible for the entire scenario to the end.
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Why is that sentence ok for this driver and not one of your - or my - grandchildren?
 
Aunt Bea said:
IMO everyone involved acted badly.

It is interesting that the woman broke the law by parking in a handicapped parking space.

The nosy man with the gun didn't break the law by talking to the woman.

The boyfriend broke the law by assaulting the nosy man with the gun.

Yet the nosy man that didn't break the law by talking to the woman or defending himself from a physical assault is becoming the villain.

This whole story is very strange and very tragic.

It's also very interesting how we can all read the same story, see the same video and form such diverse opinions about who was right and who was wrong.

I don't hold out much hope for our country ever coming together and finding a peaceful way forward.

Very sad.
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I agree completely, and BTW well stated.
 
I'm referring to the death sentence that was enforced by a vigilante patrolling a parking lot. No matter whose fault it was to start with, the legally permitted level of escalation is what is at issue.
 
Sounds to me like two macho jerks with an overload of adrenaline, both of them looking for a fight. But, as someone pointed out, without the presence of a gun, it would have resulted in a fistfight, instead of one of them dead at 28, and the other blowing smoke off the end of his gun, twirling it around and replacing it in its holster as he rides off into the sunset.

Too bad he (probably) didn't arrive and leave on a horse; this would have been a perfect scenario for a John Wayne movie.

What is this country coming to.
 
StarSong said:
I'm referring to the death sentence that was enforced by a vigilante patrolling a parking lot. No matter whose fault it was to start with, the legally permitted level of escalation is what is at issue.
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Well then that is where we disagree...The 'issue' is , stand your ground is legal...parking in a handicapped parking place is not. The diver broke the parking law, & the citizen was within the stand your ground law, when assaulted physically and acted accordingly .

You reject the stand your ground law, correct? OK, if so, I disagree with you...but of course support your right to that thought , and your right to oppose it legally, by your vote, if it applies to you.
 
Sunny said:
Sounds to me like two macho jerks with an overload of adrenaline, both of them looking for a fight. But, as someone pointed out, without the presence of a gun, it would have resulted in a fistfight, instead of one of them dead at 28, and the other blowing smoke off the end of his gun, twirling it around and replacing it in its holster as he rides off into the sunset.

Too bad he (probably) didn't arrive and leave on a horse; this would have been a perfect scenario for a John Wayne movie.

What is this country coming to.
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"instead of one of them dead at 28, and the other blowing smoke off the end of his gun, twirling it around and replacing it in its holster as he rides off into the sunset. "

I don't recall reading anywhere , where that took place?....can you direct me toward that report?
 
Sunny said:
Sounds to me like two macho jerks with an overload of adrenaline, both of them looking for a fight. But, as someone pointed out, without the presence of a gun, it would have resulted in a fistfight, instead of one of them dead at 28, and the other blowing smoke off the end of his gun, twirling it around and replacing it in its holster as he rides off into the sunset.

Too bad he (probably) didn't arrive and leave on a horse; this would have been a perfect scenario for a John Wayne movie.

What is this country coming to.
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Re bolded - I find your comment very strange.

Taking a 5 yo into a convenience store for snacks does not = " a jerk looking for a fight".

Staking out parking lots and confronting people with a gun in your pocket...well, yeah, that DOES fall into the category of being a jerk looking for a fight.

When victim pushed Drejka he simply wanted him to get away from his gf and kids.

That aside...

This...…….law needs to be amended to deprive the vigilantes and busybodies who provoke these situations from being able to use SYG as a defense.

This shooter has clearly been looking for someone to shoot for a while and now he's out on the streets where he can do it again.

I hope after AG investigation he will be charged with some form of murder or manslaughter, but I'm not optimistic. Hard to say.
 
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This is why I wait till I have more informed details from those in the know before forming any type opinion. The store owner and others who knew the shooter, say the guy typically harassed patrons and seemed to was looking for a fight. From the original video, we don't know what the gunman said to the woman, we don't know why the woman parked in the space on that day or what made the man jump to defend the lady from a man who was approaching his gf as most any man might have done under the circumstances if he thought some man was threatening his lady. People jump to a conclusion here without facts why is that?

What if the woman had a gun and thought the shooter was a threat to her and her child's safety because the man appeared threatening and she was afraid for her life and pulled her trigger first. Generally how many would feel often depends on race as well.

Blaming the person who parked in a space is like blaming the children in those school shootings for not being nice to some delusional kid.

I didn't know all the details before jumping on the bandwagon of knowing what threat who posed first, but, that we are ok with shoot first ask question later in this society, speaks volumes as to why we are were we are today. We are regressing steadily.
 
http://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/ne...-spot-weeks-before-stand-your-ground-shooting


CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Weeks before Michael Drejka, 47, shot and killed Markeis McGlockton, 28, over a parking spot, he crossed paths with Richard Kelly.

Kelly, who drives a septic tank, briefly parked his tanker in this handicapped spot outside the Circle A Food Store before running inside this store for a beverage. When he came out, he saw Drejka taking pictures of his vehicle.
"He asked me (if) was I handicapped, and I said, 'Obviously, I'm driving a tanker. I'm not handicapped.' And I asked if was he handicapped and he stated 'No, my mom is,'" Kelly said.
Kelly asked Drejka if his mom was nearby and offered to move his tanker. That’s when he says Drejka became furious.
"He flipped out on me called me every n-word, said he's going to shoot me," Kelly said. "He said he was going to kill me, and he went back to his truck, got something out of his truck and walked back up on me."
Store owner Ali Salous came out and shut down the confrontation.
"I didn't know this was going to happen two months later with another guy. It's really sad," he said.
Salous says Drejka has a history of confrontations in and around his store.
"He told me I can't help it. Every time I do this I get in trouble, and I can't help it. I keep doing it," Salous said.
Kelly said Drejka called his job and left a threatening voice mail on the answering service.
Drejka has not been arrested for killing McGlockton because according to the Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the shooting is covered under the "Stand Your Ground" law, a measure that allows people to use deadly force if their lives are in danger.
McGlockton shoved Drejka to the ground after Drejka yelled at McGlockton's girlfriend for parking in a handicapped parking spot July 26. Spectrum Bay News 9 went to Drejka's home for a comment on this story, but no one came to the door.
Kelly has given a statement about his run in with Drejka to investigators and is trying not to think about what could have happened to him.
"I'm grieving for the family right now that lost someone," he said".



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https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...-parking-spot-at-clearwater-convenience-store

"The store owner tells ABC Action News that Drejka has a history of assaulting people in the very parking lot the shooting took place. A man who frequents the store told ABC Action News he had a run-in with the man who opened fire just one month ago.

Rich Kelly says the man picked a fight with him over a parking spot, using racial slurs, and even threatening to kill him. Now, a month later, a similar case, ending with a father killed in front of his 5-year-old son".

Clearwater gunman confronted man over parking spot weeks before Stand Your Ground shooting


Clearwater gunman confronted man over parking spot weeks before Stand Your Ground shooting

Clearwater gunman confronted man over parking spot weeks before Stand Your Ground shooting
 
In this case when Drejka was shouting/in the woman's face and SHE had pulled out a gun and shot HIM, I think opinions would be very different - although SYG would also apply to her actions.
 
AFAIK, only 4 states follow a "duty to retreat" doctrine. All the rest have some version of stand your ground/castle doctrine in place. I suspect Mr. Drejka will end up being brought to trial for this.
 
AprilT said:
This is why I wait till I have more informed details from those in the know before forming any type opinion. The store owner and others who knew the shooter, say the guy typically harassed patrons and seemed to was looking for a fight. From the original video, we don't know what the gunman said to the woman, we don't know why the woman parked in the space on that day or what made the man jump to defend the lady from a man who was approaching his gf as most any man might have done under the circumstances if he thought some man was threatening his lady. People jump to a conclusion here without facts why is that?

What if the woman had a gun and thought the shooter was a threat to her and her child's safety because the man appeared threatening and she was afraid for her life and pulled her trigger first. Generally how many would feel often depends on race as well.

Blaming the person who parked in a space is like blaming the children in those school shootings for not being nice to some delusional kid.

I didn't know all the details before jumping on the bandwagon of knowing what threat who posed first, but, that we are ok with shoot first ask question later in this society, speaks volumes as to why we are were we are today. We are regressing steadily.
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"Blaming the person who parked in a space is like blaming the children in those school shootings for not being nice to some delusional kid. "

 Incorrect...the school children were absolutely innocent . The driver in this case was indeed in violation of the law. She set the whole scenario in motion and is responsible for it, in it's entirety .
 
A lot of what if's are posted, like what if the illegally parked mother had a gun and shot at Michael Drejka? That could be extended to what if Michael Drejka was wounded then drew his gun in self defense shooting & killing the mother or missing and killing one of the children. Remember this was all caught on video.


How about we skip the what if's & the past action's of Michael Drejka that are irrelavant since nothing happened and focus on the facts. The woman was parked illegally, Michael Drejka questioning her and pointing out open spaces were available is reasonable. Being attacked & immediately knocked to the ground took place. Michael Drejka didn't enact the SYG law but is covered under it due to the what is shown on the video.


The cause goes back to being parked illegally not the gun. If what if's are still going to be used. What if the woman reparked her car?
 
Knight said:
A lot of what if's are posted, like what if the illegally parked mother had a gun and shot at Michael Drejka? That could be extended to what if Michael Drejka was wounded then drew his gun in self defense shooting & killing the mother or missing and killing one of the children. Remember this was all caught on video.

Were the words exchanged caught on video, were every frame for frame showed, Oh, wait sorry, I forget you were there.

How about we skip the what if's & the past action's of Michael Drejka that are irrelavant since nothing happened and focus on the facts. The woman was parked illegally, Michael Drejka questioning her and pointing out open spaces were available is reasonable. Being attacked & immediately knocked to the ground took place. Michael Drejka didn't enact the SYG law but is covered under it due to the what is shown on the video.

You might like to not focus on the past actions, but, a court of law will find his actions very relevant to his actions as they could go to state of mind and if he placed himself in the situation as to cause an action. There is such a think as premeditation you know, maybe you don't understand such things, sounds like you just want to justify the actions. And no, he may not be covered by the SYG law depending upon what the final investigation discovers, but, I guess you and those like you are salivating hoping he gets off.

The cause goes back to being parked illegally not the gun. If what if's are still going to be used. What if the woman reparked her car?
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You were there so I guess you have all the facts in the case, so, thanks for letting us know exactly what happened. Good to know you believe, it is justifiable to kill someone over being pushed away.

Anytime I get pushed and fall to the ground, then I should automatically assume my life is in danger and it is fine to shoot to kill, I need not use common sense or hold life of another as value for even a second as value, just someone to kill because the law says I can. Those who think this way sicken me and I hope never to make your acquaintance. There isn't any question that we are growing more and more a culture of the days of gutter people with less and less value for human life especially if they don't look like you.

Look, I know you just want to keep arguing how right it is to kill, kill, kill, I'm not interested, so save your breath, I'm not interested in debating the value of human life with someone who places so little value on it. That goes for you too rg[, very scary to see both your thoughts in print. best I just place you both on ignore, you two really are scary.
 
A stand-your-ground law (sometimes called "line in the sand" or "no duty to retreat" law) is a justification in a criminal case, whereby defendants can "stand their ground" and use force without retreating, in order to protect and defend themselves or others against threats or perceived threats.
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It's those last two words that make my blood run cold. "Perceived threats?" Really? How about all the paranoids out there who perceive a threat in every casual glance in their direction?

Once again, without the easy access to guns, this would be much less of a problem. Of course, they could always use knives, etc. but it would be much harder to kill people. If a knife had been used in this case, McGlockton could have just walked away.
 
Sunny said:
It's those last two words that make my blood run cold. "Perceived threats?" Really? How about all the paranoids out there who perceive a threat in every casual glance in their direction?

Once again, without the easy access to guns, this would be much less of a problem. Of course, they could always use knives, etc. but it would be much harder to kill people. If a knife had been used in this case, McGlockton could have just walked away.
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"without the easy access to guns, this would be much less of a problem."

 And, had the driver obeyed the law in the first place .....there would have been no problem.
 
AprilT said:
You were there so I guess you have all the facts in the case, so, thanks for letting us know exactly what happened. Good to know you believe, it is justifiable to kill someone over being pushed away.

Anytime I get pushed and fall to the ground, then I should automatically assume my life is in danger and it is fine to shoot to kill, I need not use common sense or hold life of another as value for even a second as value, just someone to kill because the law says I can. Those who think this way sicken me and I hope never to make your acquaintance. There isn't any question that we are growing more and more a culture of the days of gutter people with less and less value for human life especially if they don't look like you.

Look, I know you just want to keep arguing how right it is to kill, kill, kill, I'm not interested, so save your breath, I'm not interested in debating the value of human life with someone who places so little value on it. That goes for you too rg[, very scary to see both your thoughts in print. best I just place you both on ignore, you two really are scary.
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"You were there so I guess you have all the facts in the case, so, thanks for letting us know exactly what happened"

Please show me where anyone said such a thing.


As for this........

"Look, I know you just want to keep arguing how right it is to kill, kill, kill, I'm not interested, so save your breath, I'm not interested in debating the value of human life with someone who places so little value on it. That goes for you too rg[, very scary to see both your thoughts in print. best I just place you both on ignore, you two really are scary."

So you're now a mind reader? You know my thoughts & wishes? The statement above displays only your ignorance, nothing remotely regarding fact.....
 
I always thought that the idea behind being armed was for self defense.

So? Whose life was in danger? The unarmed guy or the armed guy?

So if a handicap person parks in non handicap zone, should I get all upset.

I really don't get it with these handicap zones and the controversy they cause.

Is that much closer to the store that much difference? Drop the handicapped person at the door. Go park and then come back.

It's no big deal and that's what people who don't drive do if they get a ride.

Late at night and I pull up and park in a handicap zone. No one else around. Why do they make a big deal out of it.?
 
How about respect for the handicapped? If the lazy ass would have parked 8 feet further from the store this would never have happened. We see this every day.
 

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