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Article
and Video Courtesy of Channel 13 FOX
By
April Kellogg
Published
October 21, 2012
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 Watch
VIDEO
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APOLLO
BEACH (FOX 13) - One man is dead and the neighbor that did the shooting
is not facing charges – at least for now.
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It happened around 6 p.m. in Apollo
Beach, and authorities tell us it could possibly involve a
Stand Your Ground argument.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, David
Cockerham, 67, was out walking his dog along Silver Falls
Drive when neighbor John Gallik, 52, confronted him.
"Some kind of altercation broke loose and resulted in one
man being shot and killed," said |
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Hillsborough Sheriff's spokesman Larry McKinnon.
Detectives say the dog was startled and knocked over a sign blocking the
sidewalk, and then Gallik got angry, yelling profanities, charging
Cockerham and pulling out a knife. According to detectives, Cockerham
took a step backward to create a distance between the two.
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However, Gallik attacked him and
threatened to cut his throat, detectives say. When Gallik
charged him, detectives say Cockerham opened fire with a .38
caliber revolver that was in his pocket. Detectives say
Gallik was shot once and died at the scene.
Cockerham immediately called 911 to alert them of the
altercation, detectives say. He has not been charged with a
crime as the investigation continues. |
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"So there's
a lot of components in the investigation, and once those all come
together a determination will be made whether this was a Stand Your
Ground self-defense, or in fact someone ends up getting charged with
some level of homicide," McKinnon said.
Neighbors tell us Gallik has had problems with many people in the past,
and they say his house was in disrepair and his home in foreclosure.
The case is heading to the state attorney's office.
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