CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) – An argument about a handicapped parking space led to a deadly shooting outside a Clearwater convenience store Thursday that was witnessed by the deceased man’s 5-year-old son.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Detectives are investigating to determine if the case meets the criteria of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detectives say 24-year-old Britany Jacobs was driving her 2016 Chrysler 2000 when she pulled into the Circle A Food Store located at 1201 Sunset Point Road, and parked in a handicapped parking space outside the business.
Jacob’s boyfriend, 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton, and their 5-year-old son Markeis McGlockton Jr., got out of Jacob’s car and went into the convenience store.
Video from inside the store shows the two walking around and then paying for their items.
Detectives say Jacobs was waiting outside in the parking lot when she was approached by 47-year-old Michael Drejka. Drejka and Jacobs got into an argument about Jacobs parking in a handicapped parking space.
A witness saw Drejka and Jacobs arguing before walking into the store. While inside the convenient store, the witness alerted the clerk of the argument occurring in the parking lot.
According to witnesses, McGlockton left the store and walked over to Drejka who was still arguing with Jacobs in the parking lot. Video shows McGlockton forcibly pushed Drejka causing Drejka to fall to the ground.
Video then shows Drejka on the ground. He took out a handgun and fired one single round at McGlockton striking him in the chest.
Those who saw the video do not believe this is a case of Stand Your Ground.
Richard Kelly is a regular at the store and says he was approached once by Drejka for the same reason.
“He basically threatened to shoot me that day, too,” says Kelly.
Witnesses say McGlockton walked back into the convenient store where he collapsed. Several witnesses called 911 as the incident unfolded.
When deputies arrived, Drejka was cooperative with deputies. Drejka told deputies he placed his firearm in his Toyota 4-Runner prior to their arrival.
Paramedics responded and transported McGlockton to Morton Plant Hospital for life-threatening injuries.
Deputies transported Drejka to the North District Station located at 2496 Bayshore Boulevard in Dunedin, so he could be interviewed by detectives.
Deputies took possession of Drejka’s handgun. Drejka was in possession of a valid Florida concealed weapons license.
Detectives say McGlockton was pronounced deceased at Morton Plant Hospital at about 4:04 p.m. on Thursday, July 19, 2018.
Detectives obtained surveillance video of the shooting from the convenient store and interviewed multiple witnesses who were at the scene.
This is an ongoing investigation pending the applicability to the “Stand Your Ground” law and Drejka’s immunity to arrest.
UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE WHERE SHERIFF EXPLAINS WHY SHOOTER WILL NOT FACE CHARGES AT THIS TIME
Tough call without seeing the evidence.
How much time transpired between the push and the shot? It’s going to come down to whether or not this guy could have reasonably assumed he was in imminent danger of death or grievous bodily harm, and I don’t think it’s going to fly here.
There’s also a lot of political pressure against these “stand your ground laws”, and that’s not going to help the shooter.
Well, it was 4 seconds, this guy will go down, but the case in Tampa of the x-cop did the same thing in 1 second after he was hit with a box of popcorn!!!
I found a story that shows the store’s parking lot surveillance video from the time they pulled in:
https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article215255565.html
Tough Call? Amazing. If Drejka had been an on-duty LEO, you would all be calling him a murderer, and calling for the “pig to die” right away! This asshole is NOT the Parking Police, and his permit certainly does not entitle him to Murder some one over a parking space. Being pushed by an unarmed individual hardly justifies the use of deadly force. Isn’t that what you all would have said if a “Cop” had done this shooting? Perhaps posting some of your comments from similar Police shootings would suffice? Probably not. I will most likely be attacked for my comment here, but at least I am consistent in how I view an unlawful “use of force”!