What happens when you shoot burglars without justification...

[rambone]

Clearly this guy overreacted. Always keep your head.

Merrillville man convicted of fatal shooting

CROWN POINT | A Lake Criminal Court jury has convicted a 21-year-old Merrillville man in the fatal shooting of Dominique Allen, 17, one of three teens attacked last year while allegedly scouting for unlocked cars in the area of 54th Avenue and Delaware Street in Merrillville.

Jamarr Williams was found guilty Monday of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of criminal recklessness, battery and attempted battery after the jury deliberated nearly seven hours.

He faces a maximum sentence of 66 years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 18.

Allen, of Gary, and two Merrillville teens, ages 15 and 18 at the time, allegedly were checking for unlocked cars at 1:30 a.m. on May 19, 2008, when Williams starting shooting at Allen from a van parked in a driveway on Delaware Street.

Allen's body was found in a nearby yard. He had been shot three times.

The other teens fled toward 53rd Avenue and Georgia Street when the shooting began. The 15-year-old was shot in the calf and was treated and released from the Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus in Merrillville.

Williams later told police he was sitting with a friend in his van when they noticed the three teens checking car doors. He told police he started shooting at the teens after they shot at him, but police only discovered four 9 mm bullet casings, and a witness never said anyone fired at Williams.

One of the teens told police the group was able to get into three cars before the shooting occurred and took various items. Police discovered several items in the area, including CDs and DVDs.

 

[alfahornet]

well sounds to me like the guy just started shooting at burglars with no real thread to him - definetely overkill

 

[bartonmd]

whoops...

Bad shoot...

This is what happens when you shoot people who aren't in your house, and who aren't trying to get into a car that you're in... (i.e. aren't presently a threat to anyone)

Mike

 

[LPMan59]

wow, what a bad bad shoot. yikes.

 

[bigiron]

another SOB who is adding fuel to the fire for the anit-gun nazis! maybe they should take him out to a field and shoot at him for a while. i'm not an advocate for required classes for our LTCH(and before you guys put me on the gallows, i'm not suggesting it, mearly making a general point), this guy clearly did not understand the law nor did he clearly operate his weapon precisely. some folks need a few hours of how to carry and how to behave with a firearm. we're not all morons like this guy but unfortunately there are alot of them out there.

 

[Cygnus]

What a caulknozzle!

Shoulda called the cops and/or held them for the cops at most. )Unless thay produced weapons)

 

[rich8483]

they werent even breaking into locked cars. just ones that were opened and if you are dumb enough to leave you car unlocked, window/top down. you'd better expect to find something missing when you come back.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Yeah that was deffently an over reaction. Hope he learned his lesson.

 

[jedi]

well sounds to me like the guy just started shooting at burglars with no real thread to him - definetely overkill

Or perhaps we should change our laws like those of TX where it is LEGAL to shoot & kill if you see someone stealing your property and/or property of others! Put that law on the books are young punks like the ones in the story above won't go around trying to break into cars.

 

[TopDog]

Or perhaps we should change our laws like those of TX where it is LEGAL to shoot & kill if you see someone stealing your property and/or property of others! Put that law on the books are young punks like the ones in the story above won't go around trying to break into cars.

Yes indeed it was a bad shoot. But I agree the law needs some tweaking.

 

[Bigum1969]

Yeah that was deffently an over reaction. Hope he learned his lesson.

Looks like he'll have a lot of time in prison to learn his lesson.

 

[BloodEclipse]

Story is light on details. When that happens its because they are trying to paint the story to fit their agenda.
It makes it sound like he just started shooting without any verbal commands or interaction. Based on what was printed, it is indeed a bad shoot. I just think there has to be more to the story.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

I'm with you BloodEclipse... I think that there's more too it. Like maybe rival gang colors or something??? (THAT is pure speculation on my part...). I don't care WHO you are - ya don't just start hosing down the neighborhood when ya see someone check car doors! Without so much as a "Hey, what's up?" and let 'em run?? He and three of his buds are in a van observing this at 1:30 am ??? And I'll bet that he was an LTCH holder right?? I call "bovine excrement" on this - There has to be ANOTHER reason to open fire... the gang this is only speculation, but there HAS to be SOMETHING. I smell something more...

 

[hookedonjeep]

Hmmmmm..... shooting at three kids that are jacking things from unlocked cars.....while staking them out at 1:30am........with your buddy.......sounds like the makings of a bad made for T.V. movie; or a smut letter to Soldier of Fortune! Bad shoot, no doubt. I guess that Neighborhood Watch is stepping up enforcement!

 

[RD3]

that guys an idiot and people like him make it bad for responsible gun owners. Liberal anti gun activist love to use things like this against us

 

[HandK]

Stuff can be replaced!! that is why we carry insurance, Lives cant be replaced.
If you shoot and kill some one over CD's stolen from a car not only has he lost his life but you also lose yours, 60 years in jail for CD's I don't think so.

 

[Indecision]

Wow, that's rediculous. I don't even know what else to say.

 

[Fargo]

As a side note, breaking into cars isn't burglary in Indiana. Off the top of my head, it would be unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and theft. I don't believe that either of those constitute "forcible felonies," while burglary probably would in most circumstances.

Best,

Joe

 

[Chuck26287]

No threat to personal safety is a no-shoot as far as I'm concerned. Regardless of the law. I don't carry a weapon to use it if I can because it was legal, I carry one to be able to protect my own or another's safety. So, even if I lived in a state that legally allowed shooting someone for stealing my personal belongings, I couldn't do it without there being a threat to my safety involved. I don't own any material possessions that are worth more than a human life, even a life being wasted by it's owner.

Don't think I'd stand by and not try to stop the theft. This might cause the situation to escalate to the point my safety is then at risk. Then it's a stop the threat situation. But to just shoot someone I see stealing my possessions... nope.

 

[H.T.]

This guy is a complete MORON! He just shot at people for no logical reason! He could of just called the cops. A few teens opening car doors and taking objects doessn't warrent gun fire. Looking at it I'd say the shooter commited murder plane and simple. No threat to him. He just sat in a van in the dark and shot up some teens.