Protecting property does not generally justify.
The use of lethal force under Washington, D.C . Law, legal and criminal justice experts say as police investigate. The fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Washington over the weekend.
Caron Blake was shot shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday by a man. Who came out of his home with a registered firearm to investigate. What he believed was someone tampering with vehicles in his neighborhood, police said. The two had an “interaction” before the man fired his weapon, police said.
. And the shooting remains under investigation. It has sparked outrage from area community groups.
Legal experts agree that deadly force. Is not a justified means of protecting property. Except in cases of self-defense or home invasion.
“I don’t know of any law that allows the use of deadly force in the sole defense of property.” Said todaystrend News legal analyst Danny Cevallos. “It’s always been the case that you can’t use deadly force to protect your property.”
Details of the shooting have not been released to the public.
So experts said they did not want to speculate on the specifics of the case.
But, John Coppachino, law professor. And director of the Criminal Justice Clinic at Georgetown University in Washington. Said: “The law is pretty clear that you cannot use deadly force to protect private property.
“You can only use reasonable, non-lethal force to defend. Against the deprivation of private property,” he said.
David Puccino, deputy chief counsel. Of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Said that as a general matter in Washington and the United States as a whole. “you’re allowed to use deadly force.
If you think there’s a serious threat of physical injury to yourself.”
But he added that in Washington and much of the country.
Both Puccino and Copacchino said there is an exception in Washington for when people use Deadly. force when confronting intruders trying to enter their homes. Especially if they believe the intruders are entering to commit a crime.
“But if we’re talking about a situation where that’s not the case. where the home invasion isn’t part of the fact pattern.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said Wednesday that the person.
His name has not been released.
The reason was black. The man who shot him is black and has a concealed carry license. And a registered firearm, Police Chief Robert J. Conti said the third. The man called 911 and was performing CPR when officers arrived, police said.
The case is still under active investigation, Conti said, and police are working. With the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the possibility of charges. He said the case will go to a grand jury.
Conti said Tuesday that to justify the shooting, people must fear for their lives or the lives of others.
“These are events that we have to investigate to find out, hey, what happened? And based on the information that we have, present.
Caron’s grandfather on Wednesday called for the gunman’s swift arrest. And conviction, saying his grandson “didn’t get a chance to grow up.”
“He’s so young — 13 years old,” Sean Long said. “That’s what’s killing me. He’s a kid.”