A Fieldon Township, Minnesota resident is facing a manslaughter charge after he apparently fatally shot an apparent burglary suspect while reportedly trying only to disable the getaway car.
According to Fox News and KYEC News, 65-year-old David A. Pettersen called police after he fired to report the apparent burglary and shooting at his home. When a sheriff’s deputy responded, he found the apparent getaway car about two miles from Pettersen’s home with three people inside.
One of those people was identified as Nicolas Thomas Embertson, 19, who had been wounded and later died at a hospital. Another teen, Kyle Thomas Nason, had suffered a broken ankle.
Nason reportedly told investigators that he and Embertson, and a third man identified as Cornelius Ayers, 18, had been at Pettersen’s home to look it over for a future burglary, published reports said.
As Embertson drove away from the scene, there were two loud bangs and the teen told his companions that he had been hit.
Published reports said Pettersen told deputies he was in bed when he heard somebody apparently trying to open a door to his deck. He armed himself to investigate and then fired at the car to shoot out a tire.
Pettersen now faces charges of second-degree manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm, Fox reported.