The Latest: Defence: Victim caused death in parking fight

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Latest on the fatal shooting over a parking spot in Florida (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

A defence attorney for a white Florida man on trial for fatally shooting an unarmed black man after being shoved during a parking lot altercation said in closing arguments that the victim caused his own death.

Michael Drejka’s defence attorney said Friday that Markeis McGlockton caused his own death by shoving the defendant and that Drejka was only protecting himself by firing his gun.

Drejka fatally shot the 28-year-old McGlockton in July 2018. In video shown to the jury, Drejka told detectives that after McGlockton pushed him, he feared he was about to be further attacked and severely injured.

Prosecutors argue that Drejka started the altercation by confronting McGlockton’s girlfriend because she was parked with her children in the handicapped space. They also say he had no reason to fire as McGlockton was retreating.

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12:50 p.m.

A prosecutor told jurors the white man who fatally shot an unarmed black man after being shoved to the ground is a “vigilante” who carried a handgun because he liked provoking confrontations.

Prosecutor Scott Rosenwasser told jurors during closing arguments Friday in Clearwater, Florida, that Michael Drejka provoked Markeis McGlockton to shove him by yelling at McGlockton’s girlfriend because she was parked in a handicapped-assessable space and then fired as the 28-year-old McGlockton started to flee.

Rosenwasser said the 49-year-old Drejka is guilty of manslaughter because he had no reasonable belief that he was about to be seriously injured or killed during the July 2018 altercation.

In video shown to the jury, Drejka told detectives that after McGlockton pushed him, he feared he was about to be further attacked and severely injured.

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10:50 a.m.

The Florida man on trial for fatally shooting an unarmed black man after being shoved to the ground during a parking lot altercation will not testify on his own behalf.

Michael Drejka told the court Friday in Clearwater, Florida, that he won’t testify at his manslaughter trial, which is rapidly moving to its conclusion.

Drejka, who is white, fatally shot 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton in July 2018. In video shown to the jury, Drejka told detectives that after McGlockton pushed him, he feared he was about to be further attacked and severely injured.

Prosecutors argue that Drejka started the altercation by confronting McGlockton’s girlfriend because she was parked in the handicapped space. They also say he had no reason to fire as McGlockton was retreating.

Closing arguments are expected later Friday.

The Associated Press