MIAMI (AP) — A 28-year-old man who chased an attempted burglar down the street and shot him with an assault-style rifle as he begged for his life has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Corthoris Jenkins told investigators he was playing video games when the man burst into his Miami area apartment on Tuesday, the Miami Herald reported.
Instead of calling 911, police said Jenkins grabbed the gun and ran after the man, who fell to his knees.
“He begins to what appears to be to beg for his life,” Miami-Dade Detective Iry Watson told a judge on Wednesday afternoon. “But the defendant takes the assault rifle and shoots him multiple times.”
Xavier West, the suspected burglar, remained in the hospital on Friday, and detectives have not yet been able to talk to him.
Jenkins initially told investigators he “blacked out” and couldn’t remember anything about the shooting, a police report said.
Police: Man chases down suspected burglar, shoots him
Yes, he broke in, but at the presence of the firearm, he gave up and assumed a surrendering position: The clock on the original Forcible Felony had run out and use of deadly in self-defense is no longer in play.
That does not mean he could not have kept the rifle aimed at his sorry ass while the cops showed up. Or have him get out of the house while saying some choice words about filling his ass with the appropriate amount of bullets since you have video inside the house. I like this better because when the cops arrive, you are not holding a weapon (if you are smart) and avoid getting shot your own self by the arriving officers.
And then, some more:
Police found eight bullet casings on the ground near West, the police report said. Officers found Jenkins walking away from the shooting scene, and he immediately gave up his gun, authorities said.
Shot him 8 times and he is still alive? Was it a .22LR?
Prosecutor Khalil Quinan told the judge that surveillance video showed the shooting was premeditated. Glazer agreed.
“He had time for reflection as he’s pointing the gun as he’s begging on his knees. That’s premeditation,” the judge said.
And this smells like his ego took over his brain, dumb decision.
As for Mr. West, the home invader, he is still in the hospital and about to be violated on his parole for Robbery with a deadly weapon.
What could have been a regular case of self-defense ends up with a charge of attempted first degree murder because of bad choices and probably never actually think about “what would happen if…?” I am going to speculate and say whatever knowledge of defensive use of a firearm Mr. Jenkins had, came out of movies, TV or the media in general, not credible legal sources.