As I wrote, the videos I’ve seen showing him “fleeing” came after he fired the first shot (“that’s him”). The skateboard sequence came afterwards as well, which is when the second and third shots were fired. Not the first.

Further, Wisconsin is not a stand-your-ground state. He had a responsibility to retreat, which he should have done before ANY shots were fired. Nor do you get to shoot someone, then attempt to claim self-defense when people are attempting to apprehend you. If you’ve shot someone and if the only weapon at my disposal is a skateboard, you’d better believe that I’m going to use it in an attempt to disarm you and separate you from your weapon.

And regardless of the exact sequence of events, on which I’m afraid we’re going to have to disagree, my primary point remains:

HE HAD NO BUSINESS TAKING A LONG RIFLE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. He lacked training. He lacked maturity. It was not his job nor his responsibility, no matter how much he eventually wanted to be in law enforcement.

Too many junior Rambo’s in-training think that they can stand there with an AR and in camo and wearing a tac harness and that those things are going to somehow magically protect them. They’re not. They think they’re intimidating. And to some, they may be. But to others? Not so much.

But that brings us back to an undisputable fact: His was the first escalating act.

He was there brandishing his rifle and thereby threatening the use of deadly force. Protestors were probably yelling at him. He was probably yelling back. So just which side was in fear of their life? And which side acted in self-defense? The man with the rifle? Or the protestors?

I wasn’t there at that point in time, so I don’t know. Neither do you.

So to me it comes down to two things. Perhaps, as he said, he intended to somehow “protect” business and property solely via intimidation. And failed. Miserably.

Or he went there with the intent to use his weapon at the first opportunity. And succeeded.

I don’t know what’s actually in his head. An again, neither do you.

Either way. He showed terrible judgement. He deliberately took a weapon into an already tense situation and made it worse. The situation escalated out of his control. He killed two people and injured another.

And he will be tried for it.