Vox Sentences: Killed over a parking space

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The shooting death of Markeis McGlockton raises debate about “stand your ground” laws; victims of the Toronto shooting sustain “life-changing” injuries.

A Florida man stands his ground and kills a young father

Last week, Michael Drejka shot and killed Markeis McGlockton due to a dispute over a handicapped parking space in Clearwater, Florida. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he will not arrest Drejka because the incident is “within the bookends” of the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law. [Tampa Bay Times / Kathryn Varn]
Drejka initially confronted McGlockton’s girlfriend over parking. McGlockton came out of the store and pushed Drejka to the ground, and then backed away. Drejka then shot the 28-year-old McGlockton, who died in front of his 5-year-old son. [CBS News]
The Florida state attorney’s office is currently reviewing the case. If it chooses to charge Drejka, prosecutors will have to prove the incident didn’t fall under claims of self-defense. [NBC News / Erik Ortiz]
Drejka is white and McGlockton was black. Trucker Rick Kelly said that Drejka had previously hurled racial slurs at him and threatened to kill him for parking in the same spot. [WFTS / Michael Paluska and Adam Winer]
Unlike the 24 other states that have some form of “stand your ground” laws, Florida does not require gun owners to try to flee from danger before they use deadly force to “prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.” [NCSL]
”Stand your ground” laws have been under intense scrutiny since George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin in 2012. Though Zimmerman was eventually acquitted on different grounds, the black teen’s death has raised questions about the nature and scope of self-defense laws across the country. [Vox / German Lopez]
Contrary to popular belief, there’s evidence that implementing “stand your ground” laws actually increases gun violence. [Vox / Zack Beauchamp]

Mourning after a deadly weekend in Toronto

A 10-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman were killed, and 13 more people were injured, during a shooting in Toronto on Sunday night. The gunman was killed during a shootout with police. [CBC News]
The shooter attacked a piazza popular among locals in the Greektown district. The shooter’s motive and identity are currently unknown. [BBC]
Those who were wounded have sustained “life-changing” injuries, according to the lead investigator, Det. Sgt. Terry Browne. [Globe and Mail / Molly Hayes, Jack Hauen, Nadine Yousif, Melissa Tait, Jeff Gray, and Patrick White]
There’s been an uptick in gun violence in Toronto over the past year. Gun deaths have increased by 53 percent, while the number of shootings is up 13 percent. Authorities had recently increased the city’s police presence to combat the epidemic. [Guardian / Ashifa Kassam and Kate Lyons]
The shooting follows a van attack in Toronto that killed 10 and injured 14 in April. [USA Today / Aamer Madhani and John Bacon]
#TorontoStrong trended on social media following the shooting. Canadian politicians, celebrities, and citizens have offered their condolences. [Toronto Sun]

Miscellaneous

Israel tried to evacuate rescue workers and their families from Syria as violence intensified. They left 300 White Helmet rescuers behind. [CNN / Kareem Khadder]
Samsung has trademarked its most outlandish product yet: a “magnetic beetle” named Magbee. Its purpose is yet to come. [The Verge / Chaim Gartenberg]
Hairstylists and beauty professionals are working with inmates at New York City’s Rikers Island, one of the US’s “most notorious jails,” to teach them career skills and “instill confidence and a sense of community.” [Racked / Cheryl Wischhover]
A voyeuristic St. Louis Lyft driver live-streamed video of hundreds of his passengers without their knowledge. He made $3,500 in the process. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch / Erin Heffernan]