If a cop had done what this kid did, the cop would be charged with Murder, not manslaughter and lose his/her job in the process. This kid made a very poor decision to use deadly force on a theif running away and unfortuneately he will have to live with the consequences of that descision for the rest of his life.

The kid is screwed. First off, he talked and now his story is locked in and the evidence is going to show that his life was not in danger. Next, he did it in Seattle, so he will have a jury that is drawn from a population that doesn't like guns much anyway. The kid's statement that he just wanted to wound the guy is probably true, but I bet he has never practiced shooting at a running target from 70 yards away. That bullet could have very easily missed and struck someone innocent and as it was the bullet continued on after leaving the tweakers head. Good thing it did no harm after that.

Now consider the trauma the kid is going through and unlike a police officer, he does not have free access to professional help and support. I would bet a year's wages this kid is not sleeping and is suffering emotionaly and mentally.

This kid better hope that tweaker doesn't have any relatives living in this country, because if he does this kid is going to be sued. Think about that; what it will cost him to defend himself and more then likely he is going to owe the survivors thousands times the value of that speaker in a judgement. That will stick with him until the day he dies.

This poor kid is so screwed. It was a life changing decision. Was it worth it? Well, that kid is going to have to answer that for himself. My guess is this kid wishes he had just let that tweaker run.