A Minnesota homeowner is facing manslaughter charges after he told police he shot at a group of men who had tried breaking into his home, and one of the suspects later died in the hospital.
David Allen Pettersen, 65, called police around 7 a.m. Saturday to report a possible burglary and shooting at his home in Fieldon Township, just south of Madelia. According to the charging documents, Pettersen told the dispatcher he fired his handgun at a gray car that was leaving his property after an attempted burglary.
A deputy responding to the call found the car 2 miles north of Pettersen's home, with three people inside. One of the passengers, 19-year-old Nicolas Thomas Embertson, had a gunshot wound and later died at Madelia Hospital.
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You cannot shoot at them when they are fleeing. This is not a difficult concept. You have the absolute right to protect yourself but when they are no longer a threat you have to disengage.
ReplyDeleteHe messed up by shooting at a FLEEING car. The suspects were not a threat at that point. Obviously he was not in harms way if they were not on his property. He should have let the police handle it.
ReplyDeleteHe couldn't hit the car tires at 10'...
ReplyDeleteMost of us hate it when a criminal gets off because of a technicality or a tricky lawyer or jury nullification. In this case, pardon me for rooting for all three.
ReplyDeleteYou never shoot unless you are in fear for your life. A car load of burglars leaving your property is not that threat. This guy just murdered a 19 year old kid.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the other two get charged with murder as well im ok with this. They were engaged in a crime when their friend was murdered, so technically they should be charged as well.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't even steal anything and he shot at them while they were fleeing. He should be going to prison for a long, long time. What a dangerous hothead.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteYou never shoot unless you are in fear for your life. A car load of burglars leaving your property is not that threat. This guy just murdered a 19 year old kid.
February 2, 2017 at 7:58 AM
It is sad he lost his life at a young age, but he was also a criminal who put himself in that situation. Can only feel so bad for someone like that.
They may be criminals too, but it's not up to the homeowner to be a vigilante. That's the way the law works.
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