JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Police officers testified Friday that a Georgia teen died almost immediately after a Florida man fired repeatedly into his vehicle following an argument over loud music outside a convenience store.
Officers Robert Holmes and Dawn Valentine of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said they found 17-year-old Jordan Davis slumped against another young man in the backseat of the SUV.
Blood was coming out of the back of the teen from Marietta, Ga., Holmes said.
Michael Dunn, 47, is on trial for Davis’ death. He is pleading not guilty and says he shot Davis in self-defense.
Davis’ friend, Tevin Thompson, who was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time of the shooting, testified that he and his friends were playing music loudly in their SUV while they waited for another friend to make a purchase inside the convenience store.
“It was pretty loud,” Thompson said. “Jordan’s window was a little down. My window was up.”
Dunn pulled into the parking space next to theirs and a woman got out of his car and went into the convenience store. Dunn seemed upset, Thompson said.
Dunn shouted at them to “turn your music down. I can’t hear myself think,” Thompson said.
Thompson said he reached over and turned the volume down, but Davis said, “‘Turn the music back.’ He was talking to me,” Thompson said.
Dunn and Davis started arguing, but Thompson testified he couldn’t hear all their words. Thompson said he heard Davis cursing but didn’t hear him make any threats.
The SUV’s driver, Tommie Stornes, returned to the vehicle, and before getting into the driver’s seat, he did a little dance to the music, Thompson said. Dunn and Davis continued arguing, and Thompson said he heard Dunn say, “‘Are you talking to me?'”
Dunn then reached down to his right side, pulled out a silver pistol and fired into the SUV’s door where Davis was, Thompson said.
Stornes backed the car out, and Dunn kept firing, Thompson said.
Stornes drove around to a nearby shopping plaza, and did a roll call. Everyone answered but Davis, who was gasping for air, Thompson said.
During opening statements Thursday, prosecutor John Guy told jurors that Davis posed no threat to Dunn and that there was no weapon in Davis’ vehicle.
Dunn’s attorney, Cory Strolla, told jurors Dunn felt threatened and fired in self-defense. Under Florida law, Dunn had every right not to be a victim, the defense attorney said.
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