Posted on 07/14/2017 2:34:09 PM PDT by PROCON
Tobin Panton entered a guilty plea to a manslaughter charge this week after he fatally shot a sleeping neighbor while firing at a fleeing car thief. (Photo: Q13 FOX News)
A man who fired his Glock at a car thief leaving his driveway with his vehicle pled guilty this week to the death of a neighbor struck by one of his bullets.
Tobin Panton, 40, of Bonney Lake in the Tacoma area entered a guilty plea on Monday to one count of manslaughter in the first degree for the death of Linda Green, 61. The incident, which occurred last November, happened just after Tobin was getting out of the shower and saw his Jeep leaving his driveway. Retrieving his Glock, Tobin fired at the departing vehicle from his porch until he ran out of ammunition. Pierce County deputies were called a brief time later to a home two blocks away from the man’s residence, where Green was found shot in the head.
Detectives discovered a bullet hole in the window of Green’s home that faced Tobin’s porch and numerous “strike marks” on the front of her residence as well as her next-door neighbor’s home.
(Excerpt) Read more at guns.com ...
“If you use deadly force it has to be reasonable under the circumstances,” said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, who sought charges against Tobin. “Generally speaking, in Washington you cannot use deadly force to stop a non-violent crime.”
Use deadly force only when your or another's life is threatened.
He made a poor choice and will spend hard time for it.
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Not the law everywhere, but this was poor judgment that ended in tragedy.
A more accurate shot isn’t going to hurt. But you can’t fix stupid. The guy deserves prison just for being stupid. I am sure he will also be sued into oblivion.
Negligent homicide would seem more appropriate in this case.
I agree but even though his act led to a homicide, he had no prior record so perhaps the DA went easy on him.
extremely poor judgment.
When two people commit a felony, like armed robbery, and one of the perps is killed, the second perp is generally charged for the killing even though he did not do the killing directly. Why would the perp in this event, not be responsible for this killing?
A combination of stupidity and poor marksmanship can either put a man in prison or make him dead.
I suppose that the car thief’s actions had nothing to do with Tobin’s poor aim and negligence..
The "felony murder" rule, which you are describing, applies (at least in most states) only to felonies "inherently dangerous to human life," like armed robbery, kidnapping or arson, not to unarmed car theft.
“A more accurate shot isn’t going to hurt. “
It might hurt your jeep. Call the cops and you might get it back intact.
In Washington negligent homicide is actually manslaughter 2 - he pleaded to manslaughter 1, a more serious charge. He was not just negligent, he was reckless. The level of risk is the same for both, but recklessness means he was aware of the danger of his actions.
Some states allow shooting fleeing criminals. Legal or not, you are responsible civilly or criminally for the damage/injury done by all your bullets fired.
He SHOULD be in jail. You never, NEVER bring deadly force to stop a property crime. And if a criminal is fleeing, LET HIM GO! You aren't the police.
Hey i live in BL Wa.. Bonney Lake is 15 miles from Tacoma..
In CCW courses they emphasize consideration of the actual threat and downrange implications. You hit it, you own it.
“Tobin was getting out of the shower and saw his Jeep leaving his driveway.”
Not to make light of a bad situation but... trying to hold onto the towel, maybe he wasn’t able to use 2 hands on the Glock.
Just stupid....assuming he has a phone....call it in....most cops live for that moment and respond quickly....
You get your car back intact (in most cases), bad guy arrested and you don’t go to jail...
My Father shot out the tires of a kid who had stolen his heart medication. Daddy was suspicious of him and counted his pills.
The kid made it about a mile on the flat tires before a deputy arrested him.
The deputy told Daddy that next time just phone them. That was the end of it.
This was in Walton County, FL. Of course this was in a rural area and no other people were endangered.
Have your stuff insured.
They come at you or a loved one, they go down.
Everyone needs to take a CHC class while in high school.
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