A 59-year-old Oklahoma City man is charged in a fatal shooting after confronting two people he claims were trespassing on his vacant land. Timothy Smith is being jailed on first-degree manslaughter and reckless firearms charges, according to KOCO. The shooting happened on May 1 at Southwest 44th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Justin King, the victim of the shooting, was taken to the hospital but died a week later. He’d been wounded once. A woman with him was unharmed.
Smith told authorities that he had gone to examine the site with a rifle because he had frequently seen homeless people there. Jerry Huffine, a neighbor, reported that the number of individuals living in the area was increasing. His daughter was present with him that day.
Court filings state that Smith discovered King and the lady in a bedroom. He and his daughter asked them to leave. Smith said King took a step toward him.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Smith responded by firing one shot in King’s approximate direction. It struck the man’s neck. He informed detectives he didn’t notice any weapons nearby. He acknowledged to saying to the wounded man, “It wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t here.”
The more serious of the two charges, first-degree manslaughter, results from a killing committed without the intent to kill. It often results in severe penalties, including up to life in jail. It is less serious than murder, which requires proof of an intentional act to be convicted.
According to attorneys, the case could be decided based on Oklahoma’s self-defense and stand-your-ground statutes. Those rules often permit the use of deadly force against an imminent threat to a person, rather than just to defend property. Smith’s own remarks may wind up determining whether those types of protections apply.
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