On Friday, authorities arrested a man from California on several charges for reportedly shooting a homeless man three times after waking him up.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged Craig Sumner Elliott, a 68-year-old man, with felony voluntary manslaughter and felony enhancement of personal use of a firearm. As per the press release issued on Monday, he could face a maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison if found guilty of all charges.
On September 28th, Elliott was out jogging with his two dogs and pushing a pushcart in Garden Grove when he came across Antonio Garcia Avalos, who was sleeping in the middle of the sidewalk.
According to prosecutors, Elliott attempted to rouse Avalos by nudging him with the pushcart. However, Avalos woke up and immediately started shouting at Elliott, demanding that he stay away.
Avalos was reportedly caught in a heated argument with Elliott, who proceeded to pull out his gun and start recording the altercation. It is worth noting that Elliott possessed a valid concealed carry permit issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department during the incident.
According to prosecutors, Elliott was captured on video as Avalos threw a shoe at him. The footage showed Elliott dodging the shoe and then reportedly firing three shots at Avalos.
Unfortunately, Avalos succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
After posting $100,000 bail, Elliott was able to secure his release from custody. His arraignment is set to take place on December 15th at the Stephen K. Tamura Justice Center in Westminster.
Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, stated that the situation that resulted in a man’s death was a tragic set of circumstances. It all began with a minor issue of a blocked sidewalk, which escalated and ended in the worst possible way. He emphasized that taking the law into your own hands is never the answer and there are always consequences for your actions. This case serves as a stark reminder of this.
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