A Michigan teen legally stopped a deadly mall shooter with a gun he was not legally permitted to carry.
Martinez Long walked into a Michigan mall with an illegal concealed weapon and walked out a hero. The teenager stopped a deadly shooting.
However, as all things in America, he gets complicated needlessly.
The 19-year old was recently sentenced to two years of probation following the July 3 shooting at Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Michigan. But there is an extremely important detail getting mangled as this story travels across social media. People keep thinking he got probation for killing the shooter. No.
Martinez was not punished for shooting and killing Cameron Watkins, the shooter that killed and kept on blasting.
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He was punished for carrying the concealed gun he used to do it. What the?
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Cameron Watkins had already fatally shot 19-year old Keonte Seaborn and wounded another person during a struggle. Authorities said Watkins continued recklessly firing inside the mall before Martinez pulled his own weapon and fatally shot him. Hero! Prosecutors even determined Martinez acted in self defense AND/OR defense of others. So, they did not charge him with Watkins’ death – the man that had already shot two people. And was shooting at others.
There was just one problem.
Martinez did not have a concealed carry permit.
That resulted in the concealed weapon charge and ultimately two years of probation. The judge even questioned why Martinez brought a gun into the mall and characterized that decision as “poor judgment.” Well, your honor , seems like good judgment in the bigger picture.
And this is where the we are confused.
Apparently he needed it that day and saved lives with it.
That common sense does not erase the concealed weapon law, but you can certainly understand why people inside Fairlane Town Center might view the situation differently. A gunman had already killed somebody, another person had been wounded and shots were still being fired.
Martinez’s attorney said, “He didn’t instigate the fight. He didn’t start the fight, and he did pull it out for protection of others.”
The teenager reportedly had no previous criminal record and is working toward his GED. His probation also prohibits him from possessing guns or ammunition and requires handgun safety classes and cognitive behavioral therapy. JEEZ. If he successfully completes probation under Michigan’s Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, his record can be cleared.
Illegal gun? Yes.
Illegal shooting? Apparently not.
I am going to say it. If he was white, this would be seen very differently.
I suspect there are people who are extremely happy Martinez Long “broke the law” before somebody else lost their life.