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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

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JeffSnow

Was there any indication of why the kid entered the property? I can't see shooting anyone unless they were running at my with a knife or some other life threatening situation. Although I don't have a gun, so I guess I wouldn't have run into that problem

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

No...the kid is dead so we will never know why he entered the garage.

Summ3rRain

Why is it that people think that guns solve everything? Is it really just gonna be ok to just kill whoever even if its not really life threatening situation? What if its just looks like it in your eyes but in reality its not, wouldn't that be just over-reacting?

JeffSnow

But what did the guy that shot him have to say?

Summ3rRain

Overreaction. Just some foolish man happy to use his gun.

JeffSnow

Yes. I think the gun laws in the states are crazy. Although that said, I was severely injured at a house party when I was kid, and I had nothing to defend myself with.

Summ3rRain

You don't have to have guns with you....Thinking that having guns will lessen the probability of getting injured or getting in life threatening situation is just foolish thinking.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

He has said nothing so far. What could he say?

JeffSnow

Well if he was being attacked by the kid, I would personally start with that.

Mikemcneil · 61-69, M

He claims he never saw the kid and he fired 3 shots into his garage without asking who was there. He didn't issue a warning.

Summ3rRain

He wasn't being attacked by the kid. He just shot...... Like its just normal to shoot at whatever is in front of you...

JeffSnow

I never said you did need a gun with you. I like living in Canada, where it really is not a topic or issue I have to concern myself with. I do think the self defense argument is somewhat valid. If I did have a gun, I would have stopped a bad situation that night. Although then I would have had to live with what I had done. I would not change how it happened, and I am very happy I didn't have a gun then, and I don't have one now. I am not a supporter of guns. People being trigger happy is a serious problem. But it is not foolish to think that it might get them out of a bad situation in protecting their life. Is it the right decision? No, I don't think so. But the argument shouldn't be dismissed so quickly.