IRVING, TEXAS — A man was arrested and now faces two murder charges after shooting and killing two teens who were trying to rob him.
31-year-old Jarrell Ivory Chaney is the person currently held in jail on a $1 Million bond. Police say that Chaney was the intended target of the robbery.
During the robbery, police said Chaney managed to disarm the juvenile suspect and all three suspects started running away.
That’s when Chaney began shooting at the suspects, first striking Theophilos Greer, 19 who later died at the hospital. Chaney then shot and killed Ishmeal Smithson, 18.
Why would a person be charged with murder if he was defending himself against armed robbers?
Apparently, when Chaney fired the shots, the bad guys were running away. Shooting at fleeing suspects, like it or not, can land you in hot water very quickly.
We don’t know the extent of the details just yet, but many people were questioning the arrest and pending charges against Chaney.
In response, The Irving Police Department sent out the following announcement on their Facebook page;
Please realize there is much more to what has taken place here, some of which we know and much more that still has to be investigated. Also, realize there are limitations on what information we can release at this stage. When two people are shot and killed we have the responsibility to fully investigate the matter and refer the findings to the proper authorities for review. The act of self-defense deserves careful scrutiny and is dependent on the circumstances. No two cases are the same and the difference between justified self-defense and criminal wrongdoing can hinge on the totality of the circumstances. The decision to arrest Mr. Chaney was appropriate at this point in the investigation but as stated in the press release the case is still very much active.
While we wait to see what comes of this story, let this be a reminder; think twice before firing your gun at a fleeing suspect. In most states, not much good can come from it, and it’s best to get yourself to a safe spot instead.
