Florida man charged over parking dispute shooting despite 'stand your ground' law
Police initially declined to arrest him due to state's 'stand your ground' self-defence law
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Florida man has been charged with manslaughter for the fatal shooting of another man during an argument over a parking space.
Police initially declined to arrest him due to the state's "stand your ground" self-defence law, officials said.
Alleged shooter Michael Drejka, 48, was taken into custody on Monday, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
"I support the state attorney's decision and will have no further comment as the case continues to work its way through the criminal justice system," said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri in a statement on Monday.
The shooting occurred when Mr Drejka got involved in a shouting match outside a Clearwater, Florida, grocery store with a woman who allegedly parked in a spot reserved for handicapped people without the proper permit, the sheriff's office said. The incident happened on 19 July.
The woman's boyfriend, 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton, approached Mr Drejka and shoved him to the ground, at which point Mr Drejka drew his licensed concealed handgun and shot Mr McGlockton in the chest while his girlfriend and five-year-old son were inside the store, the sheriff's office said. It said that Mr Drejka said he was in fear for his life at the time.
Police had initially not charged Mr Drejka over the shooting due to the 2005 law, which grants residents the right to use deadly force if they reasonably believe they are at risk of great harm or death. The case was sent to the state attorney's office for further review.
Surveillance video of the event went viral online, sparking criticism of the "stand your ground" law on social media. The fact that alleged shooter Mr Drejka is white and victim Mr McGlockton was black also sparked charges that way the law is applied ignored racially-fuelled crimes.
The law removed the legal responsibility to retreat from a dangerous situation and allowed the use of deadly force when a person felt greatly threatened. It inspired similar laws in other states and was cited as a factor in the fatal 2012 shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin by a volunteer neighbourhood watch member.
Backers of "stand your ground" laws say they deter crime.
It was not immediately clear if Mr Drejka had retained a lawyer or if he remained in custody on Monday afternoon.
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments