http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...illed-sanford-police-20120308,0,1380794.story "Trayvon Martin, a Miami high school junior, was walking back from the store, a package of Skittles in his pocket. George Zimmerman, the captain of his crime watch group, was driving through his Sanford neighborhood, on the lookout for trouble. He saw the teen and called police. Two minutes later, 17-year-old Trayvon was on the ground, dying from a single gunshot wound. Police found Zimmerman standing nearby, a gun in his waistband and blood seeping from injuries to his nose and the back of his head. That was Sunday, Feb. 26. Sanford police cuffed 28-year-old Zimmerman, took him to police headquarters, interrogated him then let him go. He told them he had acted in self-defense." Only two sides to this story and one of them can't talk anymore. As a gunowner and CCW licensee I have to admit wouldn't expect to walk if I capped an unarmed man outside of my own property. It's one of the things we specifically went over in class. Force with Force vs Escalation of Force. Looks bad for all CCW holders to be out looking for trouble, which he was. ETA:Also serves to illustrate the recommendation to have at least $60k prepared for a civil suit if you should cap someone, legit or not.
I am not sure why you didn't include the part that indicates the 2 were struggling and fighting before he was shot? It is a bad deal all around but I am not as quick to toss 100% blame.
So, no recent pictures of the now deceased young man in adult form. Something seems fishy about the reporting, more emotional than factual. I would have to hear more before I get on my soapbox.
Doesn't matter how big he is. Escalation of Force is not self defense. Patrolling a neighborhood armed is foolish. Strick I didn't "leave out" anything you can't read for yourself. I'm not spoon feeding you yokels.
What constitutes escalation of force? You can't defend yourself with a gun against someone who is assaulting you unless they pull a gun? Doesn't work that way where I live.
No, you just wanted to be a sensationalist as that article, we get it. Why can't he patrol his neighborhood legally carrying a gun? Is it because if he see something odd and reports it he may have to use that gun to defend himself from a guy beating the crap out of him? Around here if I feel my life is in danger I can shoot the threat. The escalation comes from the person that is trying to attack me. ***I am speaking in general terms since I am not sure what the hell happened in this particular case but I doubt it is as one sided as the family, which didn't see anything, makes it out to be.****
+1 Here's how it probably went down: Trayvon is walking through a gated community where I take it he did not live. Neighborhood watch idiot Zimmerman confronted him, and Martin likely told the idiot to go fornicate himself. Idiot gets out of car and gets mouthy, prepared to make a citizens ar-ray-ist, and Trayvon gives Zimmerman an ass whooping, knocking him on his back is Mrs. Newbaum's freshly mowed centipede grass. Zimmerman reaches into his Dockers, draws and fires his trusty magnum P.I., fatally popping a cap into the nice young man, who never ever caused his folks or anyone else any grief. Moral of the story: If you go looking for trouble, don't be surprised when you find it.
I get it. You can't form an argument without throwing labels. If you don't understand what Escalation of Force is you probably shouldn't be carrying. It typically gets you convicted.
Or, if you decide to get physical with someone whose ass you think you can beat, don't be surprised when you get dead.
I know what I am legally allowed to do in the state I live. I am sure you and Ayoob as the authority though, so please feel free to fill us in.
Decide? Sounds like the kid was minding his own business until the vigilante showed up. What kinda altercation happen before the fight we'll never know but you guys are acting like the kid was asking for it by walking down the street?
Escalation of force begins with the first overt or covert act. It is my job to end said escalation by whatever means necessary:up: Your job too, if you like living
Not at all. But neither of us knows what either person was doing. Just because someone loses in an altercation doesn't mean they are innocent. You don't know what the kid was doing. Or are you assuming the white guy just hopped out of his car and started beating on the black kid because, you know, a white guy in Florida with a gun MUST be a bigot thug and a 17 year old kid with Skittles in his pocket couldn't have been doing anything wrong? Or couldn't have turned a verbal confrontation into a physical one, as in escalation of force. Vigilante? How did you come to that conclusion?
If you trust that the media will always give you an accurate understanding of an incident, then you're a idiot.