Renisha McBride Shooting: 911 call made by shooter Theodore Wafer gives new details
theGRIO REPORT - A 911 tape has been released detailing the call made by Theodore Wafer, 54, after he shot and killed 19-year-old Renisha McBride on the porch of his home...
A 911 tape has been obtained detailing the call made by Theodore Wafer, 54, after he shot and killed 19-year-old Renisha McBride on the porch of his Dearborn Heights, Michigan home at about 4:45 a.m. on November 2.
McBride, according to official reports, had knocked on Wafer’s door likely seeking help after having been in a car accident at approximately 12:50 a.m.
Wafer shot McBride in the face with a shot gun through his locked screen door, and was arraigned on Friday for the shooting death.
Wafer places 911 call
Wafer claims that he felt threatened, and that the gun went off accidentally. A lawyer for Wafer says he believes he will be acquitted.
Wafer placed a 911 call following the incident, which occurred after McBride left the scene of the car accident on foot. The accident, which took place in Detroit several blocks from Wafer’s home, involved McBride’s vehicle hitting a parked car.
“Ah yes, I just shot somebody on my front porch with a shot gun, banging on my door,” Wafer told the dispatcher.
In the audio secured by the Detroit Free Press, Wafer is then asked his location.
Lack of clarity about lost time, incident details
The Detroit teen wandered away from the scene of the car accident after police had been called by witnesses, but did not arrive. Police confirmed later that the accident was not given a high priority.
McBride, her relatives have told the press, may have thought Wafer’s house was her family home, because both are situated on corner lots.
McBride was found to have traces of marijuana in her system, as well as alchohol levels almost twice the legal limit for driving, according to toxicology reports.
It is unclear at this time what exactly happened in the period between the accident and the fatal shooting.
Charges brought against Theodore Wafer
Wafer was charged with second degree murder, manslaughter, and a weapons charge related to the killing of McBride in an indictment read by Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy on Friday. He was released that day after posting bail for $250,000.
WATCH ALEXIS GARRETT STODGHILL DISCUSS CASE ON MSNBC
In a press conference following the reading of the charges, McBride’s parents, Monica McBride and Walter Simmons, praised the prosecutor’s office for what they called the fair and thorough investigation leading to these charges, which were brought almost two weeks after the incident.
The parents also asked that this case not be turned into a debate about racial profiling, while stating that they hope Wafer spends the rest of his life in Jail.
Race not considered a factor
Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy has also stated that race was not a factor in the determination of the charges, but might be found to be important as the case progresses.
Simultaneously, there are many calls for an investigation into the racial implications of the case from activists in the Detroit area and the public nationwide.
Comparisons have been made between McBride’s case and other recent shootings, such as that of Jonathan Ferrell, who was 24 at the time of his death. Ferrell was shot and killed by police in North Carolina after officers were dispatched to a home where he sought help after a car accident.
Wafer is due back in court on December 18 for a pre-trial hearing. He faces life in prison if found guilty.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on Twitter @lexisb.
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