When does armed self-defense go too far?
If Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald gets her way, 24-year-old Dayton Knapton will spend years of his life behind bars for firing at a gang of suspects who allegedly broke into his garage.
The White Lake man faces possible decades in prison after he responded to the shocking sight of a group of seven strangers on security video. He grabbed a 9mm handgun to defend himself and chase the suspects away.
Was it self-defense, or was there malice in the shooting?
Knapton is believed to have fired several shots as he surprised the suspects and they ran off.
One of the group, 17-year-old Sivan Wilson, died from his injuries, and another person received medical attention.
The July encounter has now resulted in charges against Knapton of manslaughter, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and two counts of carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The prosecution believes Knapton responded with excessive force
McDonald claims Knapton broke the law by responding with force to the alleged break-in. At one point, it is believed the homeowner went back into the residence and reloaded.
“We believe the evidence demonstrates this defendant crossed the line by firing outside his home at fleeing persons,” the prosecutor declared. “His actions not only took a life but potentially endangered the surrounding community by firing his weapon into the night.”
Some are making a big deal over the shooting being in a “detached garage,” as if the architecture somehow nullifies the right to defend one’s home.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old adult and four juveniles are now charged with breaking and entering for actions that apparently precipitated the fatal encounter.
Wilson’s family pushed for a murder charge and protested the lesser count of manslaughter. His sister, Armani Madden, told reporters that the defendant’s intent in shooting her brother was clear.
“It doesn’t make sense that it wasn’t done out of malice and for them to charge him with manslaughter when everything in the report suggests that it was malicious intent,” she said.
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