Man ‘standing watch’ accidentally shoots friend to death when he mistook him for threat: Police

David Leallen Kueker, 41, from Florida, was arrested for manslaughter after accidentally shooting his friend while they were “standing watch” outside a home in Pensacola, feeling threatened by someone else, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to a home on North Loop Road for a shooting and found a 44-year-old man with a gunshot wound. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Investigators revealed that Kueker and his friend were on guard outside Kueker’s sister’s house because they believed they were in danger.

At some point, Kueker, who was in the backseat of a car, fell asleep. The victim, who was unarmed, approached the car with the help of a walker. Kueker, upon waking up, saw a figure outside the car window and, believing it to be a threat, fired a shot through the window, fatally wounding his friend.

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The sheriff’s office called Kueker’s actions “grossly negligent,” leading to his arrest. Kueker was taken to the Escambia County Jail, where he is being held on a $100,000 bond.

He is scheduled to appear in court on October 25. If convicted, Kueker could face up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The name of the victim and the reason the men felt threatened have not been released.