Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- An auto mishap morphed into a defensive shooting in Rochester, Minnesota on Sunday, January 14th, a little after 8 a.m.
A car driven by 17 year old Muhammed Rahim, with another 17-year-old male and two teenage girls in the car, spun out of control and crashed into the side of the road in slippery conditions.
A car driven by 25 year old Alexander Weiss managed to avoid the out of control vehicle. He pulled to the side of the road to see if the people in the crashed vehicle needed assistance. Muhammed then backed up the crashed vehicle and hit Weiss’ vehicle.
Weiss got out. So did Muhammed and the other male occupant. They approached Weiss and threatened him.
Weiss, a carry permit holder, retrieved a pistol and called the police. The confrontation escalated and Weiss shot Muhammed.
Two on one makes it a disparity of force situation. It is hard to know how this will play out in the courts. The statement of probable cause shows Weiss did not just “draw and fire”. Muhammed approached within inches of Weiss while the firearm was displayed.
Muhammed dared Weiss to fire. Weiss says that Muhammed attempted to grab his pistol. Muhammed’s passenger said they never touched Weiss. The statements are not necessarily contradictory.
The police arrived on the scene and arrested Weiss. The police officer included the fact that Weiss had a bumper sticker on his vehicle that said “GUN CONTROL IS HITTING YOUR TARGET” in the statement of probable cause.
by Dean Weingarten
