Of all the recent brainless killings in the region, this one was personal for me because I identified with the victim, a Minnesota state park lover. As I visit state, city and regional parks this is a recurring fear of mine:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/25/national-guard-accused-state-park-death
http://www.twincities.com/2016/09/02/man-allegedly-shot-to-death-by-guardsman-in-state-park-is-idd/
http://bringmethenews.com/2016/09/01/police-identify-man-shot-twice-in-head-at-mn-state-park/
The victim, 23 year-old Spencer Daniel Brown, was shot twice in the head by National Guard veteran David Michael Easter through the rolled-up window of a locked car door. His foot was on the brake and the car was in reverse when he was killed.
The wife of the suspect said her husband confronted the victim but that she didn’t know why. She heard the victim tell Easter to stop shining his light in his eyes. Then the young man was executed.
The details gave me chills because I’ve been in this situation before. When birding or camping solo on public land someone sees me and wants to let me know that they don’t like the look of me and that I’m not welcome there. They begin predictably at the base of the continuum of aggression, by staring. When I ignore this baboon-like hostility display, they escalate by snarling something half-intelligible such as, “The fuck’r you doin’ there, fucker?”
Recognizing this mix of aggression, suicidality and conceal-and-carry, I withdraw at this time to preserve my own life.
But it looks like the victim was doing exactly that. He was trying to escape. After killing him, David Michael Easter returned to his (you guessed it) pickup truck and called the police, claiming he shot in self-defense.
If he hadn’t killed this young park-goer, he would have eventually used the .45 caliber pistol to kill another driver in some mundane road rage incident. Or, give him 20 to 30 years and he would have shot himself in the head at some point in middle age.
It’s regrettable that because of all the armed people out there ready to explode with anger, you must withdraw at the first sign of aggression. There is no point in trying to “win” an encounter with an armed moron. Even if you have every right to be there, just disengage. Preserve your life and leave so that you can hike and camp and go birding another day.
Included: I bought an LED grow light based on the claim that it can keep my houseplants perky throughout the winter. I am skeptical of this but am willing to try.
pseudoisaac 