Ryan Hopkins: Man who drove while his friend fatally shot a homeless grandmother outside a California shop gets a year in jail
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: The man indicted for driving a friend accused of “going hobo hunting with a pellet gun” when he killed a 68-year-old homeless grandmother sleeping outside a coffee shop in California is sentenced for a year while the alleged gunman faces trial.
Ryan Hopkins, 19, learned his fate this week in the killing of Annette Pershal, 68. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting assault with a deadly weapon. Trial for the alleged shooter, William Innes, 18, is pending.
When did the incident take place?
Prosecutors said the tragedy on May 8 started when Innes allegedly sent a text to a group chat, saying, “I’m going hobo hunting with a pellet gun.” As Hopkins drove the vehicle, they reached a homeless encampment in the 3300 block of Sandrock Road, where Innes allegedly fired up to eight rounds at Pershal, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The victim was found at 6.15 am by the officers. She appeared unconscious and was hospitalized where she breathed her last on May 11, authorities said in a news release. Pershal had been shot multiple times with a pellet gun, and her injuries were non-survivable. A homicide investigation was launched and investigators followed leads, gathered evidence, and found witnesses.
Ryan Hopkins apologized to the victim's family
Hopkins didn’t know of Innes’ alleged intentions that day and apologized to the victim’s family in court. “I want to take a second to say I’m sorry to all you guys and the pain you have to go through,” he said, local NBC affiliate KNSD reported. “I’m sorry we’re all here today," he added.
What did the victim Annette Pershal's family say?
Pershal’s daughter Brandy Nazworth was left devastated. Her mother was a neighborhood fixture, affectionately called “Granny Annie.” “To find out someone had shot her with a pellet gun … you don’t even treat animals like that,” Nazworth said, the Union-Tribune reported.
California man Craig Sumner Elliott charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a homeless man
Meaww previously reported that a 68-year-old man was slapped with a felony voluntary manslaughter charge after he reportedly shot and killed a destitute who was sleeping on a sidewalk he was running on.
According to a release shared by the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Craig Sumner Elliott was jogging on a Garden Grove, California, path with his two dogs and a pushcart on September 28 when he came across Antonio Garcia Avalos, 40, sleeping on the path.
Reportedly, Elliott nudged Avalos with the pushcart. Subsequently, upon awakening, Avalos confronted Elliott, who began recording the interaction, as detailed by the District Attorney.
According to prosecutors, the video recorded by Elliott reportedly depicts Avalos hurling a shoe at him. The footage then allegedly shows Elliott responding by shooting Avalos three times with a gun he retrieved from the pushcart.
The Garden Grove Police Department arrested Elliott on November 17 in connection with the shooting, as stated in the release.