Arizona, another paradise for murderers:
It was April 3 — 37 days after Martin’s death in Florida. Daniel Adkins Jr. walked past Taco Bell’s drive-thru just as a 22-year-old man pulled around in his SUV to pick up his order. Sitting in the passenger seat was his pregnant fiancée.
CNN is withholding the shooter’s name because he has not been charged with a crime. A police report describes how the deadly confrontation unfolded.
The driver slammed on the brakes, just missing Adkins. The two men exchanged words.
The shooter told police that Adkins “air swung” his hands in the direction of the SUV, but acknowledged he never hit him or his vehicle. Still, he said, he was afraid of what Adkins might do with the weapon he believed he was carrying. Although a weapon was never found, the shooter described it as a 3-foot metal pipe or bat.
‘Stand Your Ground’ law under fireWhen Adkins lifted his hands in the air again, the driver drew his Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun from his sweatpants. He pointed the barrel at Adkins from inside his car and racked the slide of the gun, putting a bullet in the chamber. Then he pulled the trigger.
Struck in the chest, Adkins fell to the ground, face first, clutching Lady’s leash. The lab stayed at her master’s side, even as the life drained out of him.
Adkins might still be alive if this had not happened:
In Arizona, where the Adkins family lives, a similar law was enacted in 2006, tacked on to another gun bill after a gun rights lobbyist promoted it for 20 seconds in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Called “Make my Day,” it says people have no duty to retreat before using deadly force to protect themselves anywhere they have the legal right to be.
This happened in 20 seconds.
