California man recorded himself shooting and killing homeless man who threw a shoe at him over sidewalk dispute, police say

A California man has been charged in the shooting death of a homeless man who threw a shoe over a dispute about his sleeping on the sidewalk, police said.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office said that Craig Sumner Elliott was jogging with his dogs and a stroller in Garden Grove when he encountered a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk at about 3 p.m. on Sept. 28.

Elliott tried to get the man to move so that he could jog by him, but instead the man threw his shoe at Elliot. The 68-year-old ducked the shoe and then pulled a gun and shot the man three times, killing him. Police later identified the victim as 40-year-old Antonio Garcia Avalos.

Investigators say that Elliott recorded himself on his cellphone as he shot the man.

After nearly two months of a police investigation, Elliott was arrested on Friday and charged with felony voluntary manslaughter with a felony enhancement of using a firearm. He was released after posting a $100,000 bond.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the case should be a warning to others.

“This is a tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the worst possible way over a minor inconvenience of a blocked sidewalk, and a man is dead as a result,” he said in a statement.

“This case is a stark reminder that taking the law into your own hands is never the answer and that there are consequences for your actions," Spitzer concluded.

Officials said that Elliott had an active concealed carry permit issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the shooting.

If convicted on all charges, Elliott faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!