Murder's Answer for Crime: They Started It!

You may have heard of the hunting tragedy in Wisconsin where a lone hunter killed six others in a dispute over a stand on private property. What you may not have heard was the hunter's excuse for the crime: "They shot first." At first glance, it may appear to be a reasonable response - self defense and all. Until you reflect that it was not one man who was killed - but six. And then you may take a chance to read the rest of the details of the story.

He said that he was told to get off the property, and as he started walking away, he turned back and saw Willers point a gun at him from about 100 feet away. He told investigators he immediately dropped to a crouch, and Willers shot at him, the bullet hitting the ground 30 to 40 feet behind Vang...Vang said he removed the scope from his rifle and began firing, continuing to shoot as the group scattered. He said one of the victims, Joey Crotteau, tried to run away, but Vang chased him, got within 20 feet and shot him in the back. Crotteau, 20, was killed. Willers was wounded and was listed in fair condition Tuesday...Vang said as he began to run, an ATV with two people drove past and he fired three or four times, causing both people to fall off the machine. He said that he looked up the trail, saw that one of the men was standing, yelled, "You're not dead yet?" and fired one more shot in the man's direction.

The added emphasis (bold) is mine. These are not the actions of a man acting in self defense. They are the actions of a man taking revenge in the heat of passion, in the anger of his adrenaline. That is not called self defense. It is called Second Degree Murder. It is really for a jury to decide, but the facts in evidence at the moment seem pretty much incontrovertible.