Florida stand your ground. Dont play stupid games

[Route 45]

Surprise, surprise......

Records show Drejka does not have a criminal history in Florida, although the Sheriff’s Office had prior contact with him in 2012 when a driver accused him of pulling a gun during a road rage incident. Drejka denied he showed the gun, and the accuser declined to press charges...

It wasn’t the first time he saw Drejka in a fight with another customer. A couple of months back, Rick Kelly stopped by the store, parking his tanker truck in the same handicap spot.

The details to Thursday’s incident are similar: Drejka walking around the truck checking for decals, then confronting Kelly, 31, about why he parked there. The fight escalated, and Drejka threatened to shoot him, Kelly said.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/publi...rgument-over-handicap-parking-space_170174041

 

[Bapak2ja]

I guess judges in civil and criminal courts are a bunch of fools then, because it matters very much to them who did what and how a situation evolved. The elderly 47 year old clearly started this whole fiasco.

No, the woman parking illegally started the fiasco.

 

[doddg]

It is always getting the "backstory" that sheds light on any situation.
The fact that the "old" man acted like a jerk in the past does take away some sympathies.

But the facts: the old man was severely accosted by a young man in his prime and was done so very violently: this was not a "get-your-attention" shove.

His shoulder could have been "torn" by the fall (I toppled over on a motorcycle once on payment and it tore my shoulder and couldn't hardly move it for years and I am very restrictived in movement), he could have hit his head on the pavement, and I could go on.

Still: no sympathy for the attacker.

 

[BugI02]

I agree. I don’t see this being a life threatening situation. Given, a young guy can usually do a lot of damage to an older man, and had he been in the process of that I would agree with his defensive stance. This was not self defense imo.

What I wonder is, if the young guy saw him pull a gun and pulled his own and shot would that have been justified?

I think no. In the states I am most familiar with, you cannot be the aggressor and be given the presumption of a good shoot when things escalate. This would go to a jury

That being said, they were both aggressors in my mind and either one should faced 12 if they used a weapon. I really don't know enough to say for sure, but it sounds like the gun may have made the shooter brave beyond common sense

 

[Doug]

I think no. In the states I am most familiar with, you cannot be the aggressor and be given the presumption of a good shoot when things escalate. This would go to a jury

That being said, they were both aggressors in my mind and either one should faced 12 if they used a weapon. I really don't know enough to say for sure, but it sounds like the gun may have made the shooter brave beyond common sense

This. The shooter forgot or never knew that you win every fight you don't have.
IMO, when you strap on a gun, you give up the option of shouting at stupid or inconsiderate people. Parking in a handicapped spot when you aren't handicapped is an ugly thing to do; when you're carrying a gun, you shouldn't shout at people for being ugly.

 

[femurphy77]

This. The shooter forgot or never knew that you win every fight you don't have.
IMO, when you strap on a gun, you give up the option of shouting at stupid or inconsiderate people. Parking in a handicapped spot when you aren't handicapped is an ugly thing to do; when you're carrying a gun, you shouldn't shout at people for being ugly.

This is probably the most agreeable thing to come out of this "discussion" yet. The anti's LOVE this kind of stuff; "See we told you. . . .a fight over a parking spot turned into the shootout at the circle A". My whole demeanor changes when I'm carrying. I don't let obnoxious *******s bother me near as much as they do when I'm not carrying! I'm constantly reminding myself what the item hanging on my hip is for and it's not to use it as backup when I'm acting the part of douche nozzle! Unfortunately there are too many *******s like this shooter that carry it because they're "tough".

 

[churchmouse]

This. The shooter forgot or never knew that you win every fight you don't have.
IMO, when you strap on a gun, you give up the option of shouting at stupid or inconsiderate people. Parking in a handicapped spot when you aren't handicapped is an ugly thing to do; when you're carrying a gun, you shouldn't shout at people for being ugly.

Winner.

 

[jkaetz]

This is probably the most agreeable thing to come out of this "discussion" yet. The anti's LOVE this kind of stuff; "See we told you. . . .a fight over a parking spot turned into the shootout at the circle A".

Ahh but this isn't what happened. Someone got shot because they knocked a guy four feet across a parking lot and continued to advance on the downed person.

 

[Denny347]

It is always getting the "backstory" that sheds light on any situation.
The fact that the "old" man acted like a jerk in the past does take away some sympathies.

But the facts: the old man was severely accosted by a young man in his prime and was done so very violently: this was not a "get-your-attention" shove.

His shoulder could have been "torn" by the fall (I toppled over on a motorcycle once on payment and it tore my shoulder and couldn't hardly move it for years and I am very restrictived in movement), he could have hit his head on the pavement, and I could go on.

Still: no sympathy for the attacker.

Ahh but this isn't what happened. Someone got shot because they knocked a guy four feet across a parking lot and continued to advance on the downed person.

You guys are not helping the self-defense community by spinning the story the VERY SAME you criticize the anti's for spinning their stories.

 

[hopper68]

You guys are not helping the self-defense community by spinning the story the VERY SAME you criticize the anti's for spinning their stories.

 

[jkaetz]

You guys are not helping the self-defense community by spinning the story the VERY SAME you criticize the anti's for spinning their stories.

I'm not sure we can hep the self-defense community anyway. If we give in that the shooter was not justified then it's ammo for the anti gun crowd. If we argue that it was justified then we are now behaving like they do? What should the narrative be? I'll give you that it's a very firm shade of grey on whether it was justified or not and if it went to a jury I could see it going either way. All parties involved made poor decisions. I'm only focusing on the five seconds or so from knock down to shooting. If you start to pull in the rest of the story things get muddy in a hurry and this is where the justice system has to sort things out.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

No, the woman parking illegally started the fiasco.

That's what I think. The headline should have read: Misuse of Handicap Parking Space Leads to Death

 

[Hatin Since 87]

I think no. In the states I am most familiar with, you cannot be the aggressor and be given the presumption of a good shoot when things escalate. This would go to a jury

That being said, they were both aggressors in my mind and either one should faced 12 if they used a weapon. I really don't know enough to say for sure, but it sounds like the gun may have made the shooter brave beyond common sense

Rep nazis won’t let me get you again.

Thats exactly how I feel about it. The “old guy” has a history of looking for confrontations, the young guy became the physical aggressor, both were the aggressors. I guess that’s why I asked if the young guy pulled the gun after a weapon was presented if he would be justified. I guess since he started the physical aggression it wouldn’t be justified. Guy was obviously looking for trouble.

 

[Trigger Time]

I just struggle to see a stand your ground defense or lack of charges for this. Age alone doesnt sway me one way or the other. But the term "OLD" typically isnt going to apply to that age unless they have a rare disorder that speeds up aging. However people who are younger can have health issues that make them frail and vulnerable and therefore more likely to get a pass on deadly force use. Also a woman is going to get a pass everyday if she shoots a guy that's 6' tall and assaulting her, but a guy of similar hight and build wouldnt get the same pass. It's how it is whether it's right or wrong.
If I was this guy I wouldht want this to go to a jury unless he is REALLY physically ****ed up and felt like he was about to pass out and get gang beat.

 

[hopper68]

Instead of denying the shooter was in the wrong by a few seconds I think it is better to admit it and try to educate others. It helps one maintain credibility when you admit mistakes, nobody is perfect.

Police shootings are questioned all the time and there are INGOers who are LEOs that will call out a questionable shoot, knowing it give others ammunition against them, pointing out what was done wrong and how it should have been handled. Their honest opinions are appreciated and respected. We as gun owners need to do the same.

I do not want to become like the parent who believes their child can do no wrong that is surprised when they end up in jail.

 

[Kurr]

My question is if this guy had a history of looking for confrontations over parking spaces, and was now found to be "justified" in his actions, then how long till "round 2"?

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

My question is if this guy had a history of looking for confrontations over parking spaces, and was now found to be "justified" in his actions, then how long till "round 2"?

My guess is about the time someone puts his life in danger.

 

[Route 45]

No, the woman parking illegally started the fiasco.

The shooter has a history of road rage and threatening to shoot people. I think I'm pretty safe in saying that he started the fiasco. And I'm pretty sure that his history is allowed as evidence in a civil trial.

It's a shame that there isn't some kind of government agency that the shooter could have called to report such a heinous crime as illegal parking.

 

[CTC B4Z]

This was murder. Straight up. Typical John Wayne wanna be cowboy looking for some action. Due to his history I'd say premed should be a thought to

 

[Route 45]

That's what I think. The headline should have read: Misuse of Handicap Parking Space Leads to Death

You should work for CNN.