Trayvon redux: Middle-aged white FL man shoots unarmed black teen ‘in self-defense’

Trayvon redux: Middle-aged white FL man shoots unarmed black teen ‘in self-defense’

Why does this story seem so familiar? A 47-year-old white man has a run-in with a black 17-year-old in a city in Florida. The man, allegedly believing his life is in jeopardy, fires off shots, one of which kills the teen.

The Mail Online reports that:

Michael Dunn, 47, is being tried on one count of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of firing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle tied to the November 23, 2012 shooting that killed 17-year-old Jordan Davis in Jacksonville, Florida.

Dunn, a software developer, pleaded not guilty and claims his life was being threatened. The prosecutor maintains that Dunn shot Davis to death because he disapproved of the “ethnic” music Davis was playing.

On the night in question, Dunn pulled into a gas station, accompanied by his fiancée Rhonda Rouer, who went into the convenience store to buy wine and chips. According to the police report, an argument erupted after Dunn told Davis and his friends, who sat in a parked SUV outside the store, to turn the music down they were listening to. (In his statement to police, Dunn described the music as “obnoxiously loud.”) One of Davis’ friends lowered the volume, but Davis then told him to turn it back up.

Dunn, who took the stand today, testified that he grew worried when the teens began muttering expletives. The one seated in the rear, later identified as Davis, bent down and appeared to pick up something by his feet. From Dunn’s testimony:

I saw sticking above the windowsill about four inches of a barrel. It was a thump I heard against the door. It looked like a 12-gauge or maybe 20-gauge [shotgun].

I was in fear for my life and I was stunned. I’ve never been threatened, let alone threatened with a firearm. I was incredulous — I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and seeing.

This is the point where my death is imminent; he made it very clear what his intentions were. I’ve never been in that position.

According to an affidavit, Dunn pulled a 9-mm handgun from the glove compartment of his car and squeezed off ten rounds, nine of which hit the SUV. One struck Jordan in the chest, severing his aorta.

During cross-examination, Dunn admitted that never called 911 after the shooting because he was in a “panic.”

Police found no weapon in the SUV after the shooting.

LU Staff

LU Staff

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