While owning a gun is a right afforded by the U.S. Constitution, possessing a gun means taking on serious responsibilities. You are responsible for every time you discharge your weapon. As such, this opens you up to possible criminal allegations, such as a murder charge.
Murder charges
According to recent reports, a 22-year-old man was charged with murder in connection with a fatal shooting occurring outside a nightclub in West Palm Beach. The shooting occurred in late July, and law enforcement charged the man with second-degree murder with a firearm earlier this month.
The accused stated that he was acting in defense of his friend, who specifically asked him to come to the nightclub with a firearm after getting into a fight with the deceased man. He shared with investigators that while he was waiting outside of the club, he observed his friend being followed by the deceased man and watched his friend get punched and knocked to the ground.
He explained that he began to fear for his safety as six or seven males began walking behind him and staring at him. While he stated that he did not see the deceased in possession of a weapon and no threats were heard, the accused responded to his friend being attacked by firing three or four shots. It was reported that he fled the area on foot as several individuals began shooting at him. He was located by law enforcement roughly 20 minutes later, placing him under arrest.
Defense options
In Florida, a defendant has the right to assert self-defense when facing a murder charge in connection with the use of a firearm or other type of deadly weapon. Based on current laws, deadly force can be used for self-defense if there is a reasonable belief that this level of force is necessary to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony, imminent death or great bodily harm.
Facing a murder charge after firing your gun and fatally wounding another is a serious matter. Even in the case of self-defense or the defense of other, you will need to go through the legal process to prove this defense. Therefore, it is vital that you fully understand the criminal charges against you and the defense options available to you.
