Georgia man shoots and kills young Latino who accidentally pulled into his driveway

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Rodrigo Diaz, 22, was driving around with his girlfriend and two friends when he pulled into a driveway, thinking they had arrived at another friend’s house, his brother says. But instead he pulled into the driveway of Phillip Sailors, 69, who thought his home was being robbed, his lawyer says. Sailors then shot Diaz, according to the police report, citing what Sailors told officers at the scene. Diaz later died while in the intensive care unit.

“Basically, what happened is they were looking for one of my brother’s girlfriend’s friends,” says his brother David E. Diaz-Valencia, 23. “The guy came outside and my brother’s girlfriend said he was screaming, ‘Get off my property!’ and he shot into the air. My brother was backing out fast because he was scared and he rolled down the window to say he was sorry and he was not doing anything wrong. Then the guy shot him in his head.”

When officers arrived, Angie Rebolledo, Diaz’s girlfriend, had blood on her jeans, both arms and both hands as she was attempting to get a response from him and screamed frantically that her boyfriend had been shot, according to police.

Police arrested Sailors, of Lilburn, Georgia, who was booked into the Gwinnett County jail Sunday afternoon and charged with murder, according to the police report.

“At this point we have established probable cause to charge Mr. Sailors and when the investigation is complete, we will turn over the case file to the Gwinnett County District Attorneys Officer for processing,” Lilburn police Chief Bruce Hedley told NBC Latino. “To preserve the integrity of the case, I will not be releasing further information concerning this incident.”

Sailors’ lawyer says his client is a Vietnam veteran with no prior criminal history and thought he and his wife were about to be victims of a home invasion. “You have to understand this is a 69-year-old man who is a military veteran who has been honorably discharged,” Michael Puglise says. “He dedicated his life to community service, specifically the Christian Lay Ministry in Latin America.”

http://nbclatino.com/2013/01/29/georgia-man-shoots-and-kills-young-latino-who-accidentally-pulled-into-his-driveway-police-say/

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

We must be on the same wavelength, just posted a story about a 15 year old who performed at Obama's inaguration(sp) was shot and killed yesterday. People need to think before they shoot

Stand by for the people to post/defend this by showing how many break ins happend and how a gun can save lives.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Su and Marvin

[Penny Lane 8,159]

We must be on the same wavelength, just posted a story about a 15 year old who performed at Obama's inaguration(sp) was shot and killed yesterday. People need to think before they shoot

Apparently they don't have to.

This is what America is now - you can be shot for simply pulling into the wrong driveway by some paranoid guy who feels he has to use his gun to "defend himself" ...

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Apparently they don't have to.

This is what America is now - you can be shot for simply pulling into the wrong driveway by some paranoid guy who feels he has to use his gun to "defend himself" ...

Problem is when you have crime in the area, that is used as an excuse to shoot first. How many people need to die before something is done?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Problem is when you have crime in the area, that is used as an excuse to shoot first. How many people need to die before something is done?

There's no number. There are plenty of people who think nothing needs to be done and this is just the way it is now. Arm yourself or become a victim. Land of the free!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The kid shouldn't have rolled down the window.... Should have just driven away.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Obama 2012

[Penny Lane 8,159]

The kid shouldn't have rolled down the window.... Should have just driven away.

Yes, rolling down a window to apologize for doing something harmless like turning into the wrong driveway is definitely punishable by death.

Victim blaming in stories like this is so bizarre, it makes me worry for your sanity.

[decocker 7,198]

The kid shouldn't have rolled down the window.... Should have just driven away.

cause a bullet won't cut through glass?

but yeah, certainly the dead guy's fault.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

cause a bullet won't cut through glass?

but yeah, certainly the dead guy's fault.

Always the dead guy's fault.

[decocker 7,198]

Always the dead guy's fault.

always - so long as the dead guy is brownish..

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

The kid shouldn't have rolled down the window.... Should have just driven away.

How about the homeowner taking the time to let the guy pull off before he blew him away?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

cause a bullet won't cut through glass?

but yeah, certainly the dead guy's fault.

It is the dead guy's fault. He drove on private property, and then when the guy with the guy was yelling he rolled down his window. I wasn't there, but I can almost guarantee you the window rolling down made the home owner think the kid was going to pull something. In that situation - you don't wait and see, you shoot to kill. Period.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It is the dead guy's fault. He drove on private property, and then when the guy with the guy was yelling he rolled down his window. I wasn't there, but I can almost guarantee you the window rolling down made the home owner think the kid was going to pull something. In that situation - you don't wait and see, you shoot to kill. Period.

So rolling down a window while you are pulling away is a sure sign of someone pulling a gun on you? It's that chain of thought that gets so many minorities killed.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Su and Marvin

[Penny Lane 8,159]

It is the dead guy's fault. He drove on private property, and then when the guy with the guy was yelling he rolled down his window. I wasn't there, but I can almost guarantee you the window rolling down made the home owner think the kid was going to pull something. In that situation - you don't wait and see, you shoot to kill. Period.

He already thought the kid was going to pull something. Simply driving into his driveway by accident was enough to make this lunatic come outside and shoot his gun into the air.

[decocker 7,198]

In that situation - you don't wait and see, you shoot to kill. Period.

um no. that is quite possibly the dumbest argument you've ever attempted to make.

and i don't know the man who did this, but considering he was a vietnam vet and charitable donor - i assume that he is completely devastated by this. who wants an innocent life on their hands? bet he wishes he could have used a bit of restraint.