Emergency room records show teen prankster shot in back

AP ^ | 11-03-03

[AAABEST]

BOCA RATON -- A 16-year-old boy killed during a seemingly innocent late-night prank was shot in the back, according to emergency room records.

The medical reports were released Saturday by the attorney for the teen's parents, who said they show he posed no threat to the neighbor who shot him.

Mark Andrew Drewes and a friend had been knocking on neighbors' doors and then running away Oct. 25. He was shot by neighbor Jay Steven Levin, 40, who told police he mistook the 6-foot-2 teen for a burglar.

"It shows he was running away," said the Drewes' attorney, Robert Montgomery. "Nobody was coming at (Levin)."

Montgomery announced Friday that he planed to file a wrongful death suit against Levin on behalf of Mark Drewes' parents, Gregory and Luciana Drewes.

Levin has not been charged in the shooting. His attorney, Bo Hitchcock, did not immediately return a phone message Sunday.

Mike Edmondson, spokesman for Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer, declined to comment on the hospital report.

Information from: The Palm Beach Post, http://www.pbpost.com

[AAABEST]

This guy needs to pay a price for this. "I screwed up" doesn't cut it.

[AAABEST]

ping

[Centurion2000]

There was a thread on this about a week ago where I was defending this guy for guarding his property .... allow me to take a minute to say taht this guy should be wired for sound at this point.

Killing criminals is one thing ... shooting them in the back is quite another. Misdemeanors do not rate pursuit and use of deadly force.

[Consort]

More

[.45MAN]

PING

[AAABEST]

I agree with you 100%. I'm a big 2a guy like you, but this is bad news on many levels including giving responsible gun owners a bad name.

[sgtbono2002]

More info needed before I can take sides . What is this kids record? Was this a harrassment attack or a trick or treat prank around Halloween? How many times previously have they screwed around at this guys homes and what were the other incidents about? More Input , More Input.

[Jacquerie]

Yeah, did he turn around once he realized he was looking down a barrel? Why would a homeowner answer the door packing? Had he been harassed or worse in the past?

[AAABEST]

Please state for me a scenario where you have to shoot someone in the back. I've thought about this but the only situation I could think of was if the perp was running off with a family member on his shoulder or something.

I'm all ears.

[xrp]

Why would a homeowner answer the door packing?

Well...you have been on Free Republic only a month and a half.

The person who was killed was knocking and running [on doors] at 12:30am. Would you answer the door unarmed?

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Well...you have been on Free Republic only a month and a half.

What does that add to the conversation?

[xrp]

Well...you have been on Free Republic only a month and a half.

What does that add to the conversation?

What does THAT add to the conversation?

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

Seriously. Why mention that someone has onyl been here a short time?

[SLB]

It sure doesn't look good for the shooter if this report is true and I have no reason to believe that it is not true at this time.

[Honcho]

The person who was killed was knocking and running [on doors] at 12:30am. Would you answer the door unarmed?

Myself when I don't know who's on the other side and I'm afraid that it might be someone who would want to hurt my family, I DON'T ANSWER THE DOOR or here's one for you; I ASK WHO IT IS. I never answer the door packing.

[fml]

Well stated, I am in the same boat. To shoot anyone in the back is a cowardly and disgusting act.

[Joe Brower]

My local paper ran an op-ed on this sad event:

Let's see if gun rights advocates really hold the shooter responsible.

[cb]

In TEXAS, deadly force is allowed to protect property during the nighttime hours. So, if someone is stealing your garden hose at night you can shoot them....even in the back...no, especially in the back since they'll probably will be running away.

You cannot however, use deadly force on an arsonist who has already started the fire....go figure.

A few years back, a guy got his hubcaps stolen at his apartment complex. He bought new ones, but put an alarm on his car. Someone set off the alarm and he saw a car racing away(at night) and his hubcaps missing. He gave chase, caught up with the car and Killed everyone in the car. He was no billed! The hubcaps were in the car.

Now, nothing about this incident suggests that deadly force was appropriate, even in Texas. But, an understanding of case law is necessary to determine if deadly force is allowed. Something you learn in conceiled carry classes.

[Orange1998]

I totally agree. Many posters thought the homeowner was protecting his property at night using deadly force only to find out that the boy was unjustly killed.

I am glad to see a post correcting a past comment once the facts are clear.

[_Jim]

Emergency room records show teen prankster shot in back

Hmmm ... do those records also indicate how long after he 'turned' (around) he was shot?

A mere fraction of a second?

Or ten seconds?