Michigan man charged after fatally shooting teen who broke into garage
A Michigan man fatally shot a teen who broke into his garage and is now facing a manslaughter rap — sparking controversy over the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
Sivan Wilson, 17, was with six other mainly teenagers when the group broke into Dayton Knapton’s garage in White Lake shortly after 1 a.m. July 8, authorities said.
Knapton, 24, got an alert from his home security system, grabbed a .9mm gun, ran outside and fired two shots into the garage through a windowless door, striking Wilson, according to prosecutors and cops.
As the group fled, Knapton fired five more shots before going back into his house, reloading his gun and returning outside, according to a statement by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Sivan was running away and got shot,” said Shawn Madden, Wilson’s father, to a local news outlet.
Michigan resident Dayton Knapton, 24, is charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a teen burglary suspect.
As the group fled, Knapton fired five more shots before going back into his house, reloading his gun and returning outside, according to a statement by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Another teenager in the group also was shot in the leg.
White Lake Township police officers responded to the scene after being notified of two victims with bullet wounds in Commerce Township, according to a press release from the night of the incident.
But it was too late to save Sivan, who succumbed to his injuries later that night.
“This defendant crossed the line by firing outside his home at fleeing persons,” prosecutor Karen McDonald said of Knapton. “His actions not only took a life but potentially endangered the surrounding community by firing his weapon into the night.”
Knapton was recently charged with manslaughter, assault with intent to cause bodily harm and two firearm offenses.
He faces up to 15 years behind bars for the top charge.
But Sivan’s family said they want Knapton charged with murder.
“It doesn’t make sense that it wasn’t done out of malice and for them to charge him with manslaughter when everything in the report suggests that it was malicious intent,” said Wilson’s sister, Armani Madden, to a local news outlet.
Knapton’s lawyer, Dov Lustig, meanwhile said in an interview with local news that his client was clearly justified in the shooting.
“This is a case of stone self-defense,” Lustig said.
Knapton pleaded not guilty to the charges in November and was given a $200,000 cash bond.
Michigan law allows for residents to use deadly force against someone who is invading their home if they have an “honest and reasonable belief” that there’s a threat to their life.
Lustig told reporters that Knapton’s home had been broken into multiple times before and that local police merely encouraged him to get a better home alert system.
A neighbor told Fox News that Knapton stored dirt bikes in the garage, although it’s unclear if that’s what the teens may have been after.
Four minors and a 21-year-old who were with Wilson have been charged with breaking and entering, according to prosecutors.
