From the details available at the moment, it looks like it started off as a good shoot. However, the victim made a series of bad decisions after that and is now facing a murder charge...
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A Dallas man is accused of fatally shooting a burglar outside his Old East Dallas home Thursday and going back to bed before calling police nearly two hours later.
James Michael Meyer, 72, has been charged with murder. He was in the Dallas County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail Friday evening.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, officers were dispatched at 7:04 a.m. on a home invasion call in the 5400 block of Philip Avenue, near Interstate 30 and Grand Avenue, where they found the body of an unknown male face down in a park behind the home.
Dallas-Fire Rescue workers noted that blood on the body was dry and eventually determined that the person had been dead for some time.
Meyer told police that he had been awakened about 5 a.m. by noise outside and saw someone trying to break into his storage shed with a pickax when he looked through the window, the affidavit said.
Meyer said he grabbed his handgun and chambered a round, then came out of his home yelling at the person to stop what he was doing and not come any closer or else he'd shoot.
Instead, he told police, the person took several steps toward him, so he fired his gun, according to the affidavit.
At that point, the burglar dropped the pickax and ran toward the park.
Meyer said he fired an additional shot "into the night" in the direction of the park, even though "from the suspect's accounts, the threat of serious bodily injury against him was over when the complainant dropped the pickax and ran off," the affidavit said.
Meyer said he didn't know whether he had struck the person, so he went back to bed.
As the sun began to rise, Meyer again looked outside and saw "a black bag" in the park. Upon closer inspection, he found the individual lying face down in the park.
Meyer's wife called an attorney for advice before Meyer called 911, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, he refused to answer the dispatcher's questions, saying repeatedly that he was the victim of a crime and that medical assistance was needed.
When investigators couldn't find any spent shell casings, Meyer told them he had thrown them in the trash.
Neighbors told investigators that they'd heard three gunshots about 5:15 a.m., contradicting Meyer's account of the number of shots fired.
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What had been a perfectly good shoot is now a murder charge.
All right. Now let's see where he fucked up...
1. When the threat has been neutralized, STOP SHOOTING. This guy did not only fuck that part up, he decided to fire blindly into the darkness in "the direction of the park". Way to go, Einstein.
2. If you are going to alert the police, DO SO ASAP after the threat has been neutralized.
3. You live in an urban area. There are witnesses. Make sure your story fits the bill if and when you decide to open up to investigators.
4. When has tampering with evidence at a hot crime scene ever been a smart idea?
5. Last but not least... KEEP YOUR FUCKING MOUTH SHUT. There is a time for talking. When you don't have legal guidance and are not yet in a state of mind where you can remain in control of the situation, DON'T do it. Don't think you can talk your way down from whatever level of fucked up you are in. It ain't gonna happen. You will only tie the noose that you will hang yourself with. Remember, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that you say WILL be used against you. They will look for ways to do it. That is their job and what they are paid to do.
Dallas man accused of fatally shooting burglar and going back to bed before calling 911
A Dallas man is accused of fatally shooting a burglar outside his Old East Dallas home Thursday and going back to bed before calling police nearly...
www.dallasnews.com
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A Dallas man is accused of fatally shooting a burglar outside his Old East Dallas home Thursday and going back to bed before calling police nearly two hours later.
James Michael Meyer, 72, has been charged with murder. He was in the Dallas County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail Friday evening.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, officers were dispatched at 7:04 a.m. on a home invasion call in the 5400 block of Philip Avenue, near Interstate 30 and Grand Avenue, where they found the body of an unknown male face down in a park behind the home.
Dallas-Fire Rescue workers noted that blood on the body was dry and eventually determined that the person had been dead for some time.
Meyer told police that he had been awakened about 5 a.m. by noise outside and saw someone trying to break into his storage shed with a pickax when he looked through the window, the affidavit said.
Meyer said he grabbed his handgun and chambered a round, then came out of his home yelling at the person to stop what he was doing and not come any closer or else he'd shoot.
Instead, he told police, the person took several steps toward him, so he fired his gun, according to the affidavit.
At that point, the burglar dropped the pickax and ran toward the park.
Meyer said he fired an additional shot "into the night" in the direction of the park, even though "from the suspect's accounts, the threat of serious bodily injury against him was over when the complainant dropped the pickax and ran off," the affidavit said.
Meyer said he didn't know whether he had struck the person, so he went back to bed.
As the sun began to rise, Meyer again looked outside and saw "a black bag" in the park. Upon closer inspection, he found the individual lying face down in the park.
Meyer's wife called an attorney for advice before Meyer called 911, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, he refused to answer the dispatcher's questions, saying repeatedly that he was the victim of a crime and that medical assistance was needed.
When investigators couldn't find any spent shell casings, Meyer told them he had thrown them in the trash.
Neighbors told investigators that they'd heard three gunshots about 5:15 a.m., contradicting Meyer's account of the number of shots fired.
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What had been a perfectly good shoot is now a murder charge.
All right. Now let's see where he fucked up...
1. When the threat has been neutralized, STOP SHOOTING. This guy did not only fuck that part up, he decided to fire blindly into the darkness in "the direction of the park". Way to go, Einstein.
2. If you are going to alert the police, DO SO ASAP after the threat has been neutralized.
3. You live in an urban area. There are witnesses. Make sure your story fits the bill if and when you decide to open up to investigators.
4. When has tampering with evidence at a hot crime scene ever been a smart idea?
5. Last but not least... KEEP YOUR FUCKING MOUTH SHUT. There is a time for talking. When you don't have legal guidance and are not yet in a state of mind where you can remain in control of the situation, DON'T do it. Don't think you can talk your way down from whatever level of fucked up you are in. It ain't gonna happen. You will only tie the noose that you will hang yourself with. Remember, ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that you say WILL be used against you. They will look for ways to do it. That is their job and what they are paid to do.
