Jacksonville, Florida



From the Jacksonville Times-Union of January 25, 2005

Man kills attacking car burglary suspect



A Jacksonville man who pulled a handgun after he was attacked in his apartment parking lot early Saturday fired five shots that left a 16-year-old suspected car burglar dead, police said Monday.



Three other suspects, ages 15, 17 and 18, were arrested Monday and charged with murder and armed robbery in the shooting outside the Paradise Island apartments on Southside Boulevard.



Ronald Peterson, 27, told police he was pistol-whipped in the head by four attackers who he feared were going to put him in a car trunk. He was not charged in the shooting.



According to police, Peterson came home about 5 a.m. and saw four men trying to enter parked cars. After parking his car in his garage, he retrieved a handgun and went outside to see if they were still there before calling police, according to a police report.



When he tried to go back inside, he was stopped at gunpoint, told to empty his pockets and led to a car where he was ordered to clear out the car's trunk. When he balked, he was struck in the head and knocked to the ground.



Peterson told police the attackers saw the gun in his waistband as he fell and yelled a warning. He said he pulled the gun and opened fire.



David Ulysses McCray of the 6700 block of West Virginia Court was found dead behind an apartment building, according to police. Peterson's car keys, cell phone and knife were with McCray, police said.



Police learned Carl Aresenio Jones, 15, of the 5800 block of Soutel Drive, and Aaron Jamal Muhammad, 17, of the 3300 block of Almeda Street, had gone to Shands Jacksonville for treatment of a gunshot wound to Muhammad's arm. Both were interviewed by police and charged with robbery and murder. The interviews led detectives to Orren Alexander Louder, 18, of Jies Court, who was also charged.



Police said there was evidence three cars had been burglarized.