Washington state man sentenced for shooting a man he thought was a sex offender (gun vigilante fail)

[jpak]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-state-man-sentenced-for-shooting-a-man-he-thought-was-a-sex-offender/2011/07/13/gIQAlw7RCI_story.html

POKANE, Wash. — A Washington state man who shot another man in the head because the shooter mistakenly thought the victim was a sex offender has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison on assault and gun convictions.

Robert Startin cried in Spokane County Superior Court as he apologized for shooting 26-year-old Shane Reilly at a drinking party in March in Spokane Valley.

The prosecutor said someone joked that Reilly was a sex offender. Startin had a relative who was molested. He got a gun and shot Reilly in the head.

The Spokesman-Review reports Reilly was paralyzed below the neck but has recovered some movement in his limbs. He’s still in the hospital.

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dumbass vigilantes + booze + guns = teh stupid

yup

[safeinOhio]

1. Watched to many revenge movies, then went out and

purchased a handgun.

[one-eyed fat man]

4. How did he do that?

Washington State has a handgun waiting period. How long did that party last? Or are you just making stuff up?

There was nothing in the link except that "He got a gun and shot Reilly in the head."

[friendly_iconoclast]

8. Pointing out a logical failure like that is rather churlish of you.

Please continue to do so, whenever necessary.....

[struggle4progress]

2. ... Witnesses said Startin walked up to a group of friends sitting outside an apartment, but left

when no one there knew him. Startin came back a short time later and left with the victim in Reilly’s 1962 Chevy pickup.

Witnesses saw the two men driving slowly down the street. They told police they heard gunfire and then a crash.

According to court records, Startin confessed to the crime and said he did it because he heard Reilly was a child molester, a baseless allegation according to Reilly’s family.

Tuesday afternoon, the judge who sentenced Startin asked him multiple times why he did it, but Startin never gave an answer ...

Victim leaves courtroom during shooter's sentencing
by KREM.com & Katie Utehs
NWCN.com
Posted on July 12, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Updated yesterday at 12:05 PM
http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=125446593&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10222

[dmallind]

3. Then let's make shooting people illegal except in self-defense. That should stop this. nt

[SteveM]

5. Broke several existing laws, got caught, goes to jail. nt

[PavePusher]

6. Wow two rec-worthy post in one day.

The Apocalypse is nigh....

[Atypical Liberal]

7. Yup.

dumbass vigilantes + booze + guns = teh stupid

You are correct. However, these sorts of occurrences are not an excuse to infringe on the rights of everyone else who obeys the law.