While many self-defense shootings occur when a victim is attacked by a stranger, it’s not unusual for both the attacker and the defender to be family members, acquaintances or even friends. A recent shooting in Fresno, California, involving a former professional soccer player, who says he was defending himself, has resulted in no charges being filed.
According to a report at nbcbayarea.com, for San Jose Earthquake player and soccer coach David Gold said he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Ronald Morris, a friend for half a century, on September 8 at his home.
“I took his life and I can’t stop thinking about him,” Gold said, recounting what took place on the fateful day.
According to Gold, Morris, who was staying at Gold’s home, began drinking heavily. When he asked Morris to leave, Gold said his longtime friend threatened to kill him.
Gold also told NBC Bay Area that since he recently had spinal surgery, he was worried he couldn’t defend himself from Morris, who he said severely beat him four years ago. Gold said after he fired a warning shot into the wall, Morris jumped on him and began beating him up, forcing him to fatally shoot Morris.
“I had no choice,” Gold told the news station. “He was killing me. He was going to spend the rest of his life in jail either way. I loved his family. I loved his grandkids. I loved his daughters. I was Uncle Goldie. I took all that away from them. I didn’t want to. I did not want to. I’ve got to live with that for the rest of my life.”
After an investigation, the district attorney ruled the shooting to be self-defense, clearing Gold of any criminal liability in Morris’s death. However, Gold now finds himself facing a wrongful death civil lawsuit, which has been filed by members of Morris’s family.
For their part, Morris’s family doesn’t believe the shooting was self-defense. An attorney for the family has raised questions of why Gold would let Morris stay at his home if he had beaten him in the past. The attorney also said the family wants to know why Gold didn’t call 911 or leave his home if he felt threatened by Morris.
As for Gold, he’s now trying to get on with his life, working to restore his reputation and return to coaching youth soccer.
“I’m a good person put into a horrible situation,” he said. “I couldn’t back out of it. I was going to die.”
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