Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

Is this murder?

The father of a German exchange student shot dead in Montana after he trespassed in a man's garage has said the US cannot continue to "play cowboy" with firearms.Markus Kaarma has been charged with deliberate murder in the Sunday killing of Diren Dede, 17, of Hamburg.But he says Montana's self-defence law allowed him to shoot the boy.Celal Dede said he would not have allowed his son to study in the US had he been aware of the lenient gun laws."I didn't think for one night that everyone here can kill somebody just because that person entered his back yard," Mr Dede told the German news agency dpa.Pressure authoritiesMr Dede returned to Germany from Montana on Thursday after securing the release of his son's body, a German consulate spokeswoman said.The son of a family of Turkish immigrants to Germany, Diren was attending Big Sky High School in Missoula, Montana, for one year as part of an exchange program.Diren, known in Hamburg for his football skills, had only six weeks

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

louisthepearl

That's extremely sad. When did this happen?

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

This Sunday just gone

louisthepearl

Ok, I've just read the story and this guy had been burgled twice already and wanted to catch the thief. He left his garage door open with valuables in plain sight. He supposedly didn't see the young man and shot without knowing who/what was in his garage. It's all very very sad.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

He set a trap. Like you would for an animal. It was pre-meditated. His life was not in danger.

louisthepearl

Of course he set a 'trap', he admits that he was trying to catch the thief. But neither of us have enough facts to be able to declare it was murder.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

By "catch" he meant execute. His life was not in danger , he did not issue a warning before he shot. Those are the facts. What other facts would change things?

louisthepearl

Why don't we just wait for the trail instead of jumping to conclusions? How can you be sure that the newspaper/site you're getting your info from is reliable and accurate? If the state of Montana says he was in his right then he was in his right.

Summ3rRain

A bit of the news.....
"On Sunday, a woman told investigators that Kaarma had told her that he had been waiting up for three nights with his shotgun to 'shoot some f****** kid, court records said."

A bit too much...

louisthepearl

Doesn't mean i don't find this terribly sad. It's always awful to see such a young person have their life taken away in such miserable circumstances.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

The state of Montana has charged him with murder.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

Exactly. It was a planned execution. It wasn't some spur of the moment thing.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

Which is why it needs to be treated seriously by the Police and Courts.

louisthepearl

Let's wait for the trail.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

Of course. I am happy to do that.