Photo by Patrick "Buzz" Hayes

The Wake County District Attorney’s office has announced no charges would be forthcoming for a woman who shot and killed a man in self-defense in the parking lot of a Raleigh, North Carolina, Food Lion grocery store. Video evidence of the shooting supported the woman’s claim and reinforced the decision not to charge the woman with a crime, District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told ABC11.

“We were fortunate to have access to various video. Also, there were witnesses in the area that were able to give a pretty clear image as to what happened here,” Freeman said in an interview with the station.

The shooting occurred shortly after 5 p.m. last Wednesday after what appeared to be a road rage incident in which 49-year-old Steven McLamb followed the woman into the parking lot, exited his vehicle and attempted to enter the unnamed woman’s vehicle. The woman then pulled out a handgun and fired, striking McLamb who later died at a hospital of his injuries. The shots immediately stopped the attack.

“Mr. McLamb was the aggressor,” Freeman said.

In a separate interview with news station WRAL, defense attorney Lee Turner noted N.C. Statute 14-51.2, which establishes the Castle Doctrine in North Carolina law, permits a person to defend themselves in their homes, or in this case, their vehicles, where they have a reasonable assumption of safety.

“It’s obvious this individual contributed to what occurred to him that day by his own actions,” Turner said.

On explaining the castle doctrine, Turner said, “Basically saying your home, your automobile, your workplace are considered to be an individual’s castle and you have a right to defend yourself inside those locations.”

The woman who was forced to defend herself had no criminal history and was carrying the firearm legally, Raleigh police confirmed.

“I think what’s really important here for people to understand is that provision in our law is not an invitation to vigilante justice, but it does allow when someone has a responsible fear for imminent death or bodily injury that you’re allowed to protect yourself,” Freeman said.

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36 COMMENTS

    • That’s the only bad part of that DGU, tinnitus… 🙁

      • I think , hell I KNOW, I would take the tinnitus over the beating/raping/killing part anytime.

        • I know I would take the tinnitus, but I wouldn’t in the least bit be surprised if one commenter here were to invite such an attack, out of sheer desperation for some much-needed human affection… 🙂

        • oldshtforbrainsgeoff has a whole lot on common with the deceased perp…difference is oldsht’s rage is limited to his forever changing moniker…he’s a pervert.

  3. “you’re allowed to protect yourself,” Freeman said.”

    We are “allowed” to protect ourselves, via whose permission?
    Seems more correctly stated, “you have the right to protect yourself”.

    • Don’t stress on the verbiage. It is “allowed” because it is not prohibited by the criminal code as being an illegal act. In England, she would be facing a seven year stretch for using excessive force.

  4. More people need to carry firearms.

    Legally.

    Because things do happen.

    Keep your head on a swivel.

    • Exactly. Criminals and crazies don’t make appointments. But I’d be willing to bet that this wasn’t his first “anger management” issue, either.

  6. Good job lady.

    Now for the media….do the other ~3,000 incidents daily nationwide where women are use DGU to defend them selves.

    • CC,

      Saying it another (clever) way:

      The recidivism rate of LIVE felons is greater than 80%.

      The recidivism rate of DEAD felons is 0%.

      Draw your own conclusions.

  9. Washington Gun Law President, William Kirk, discusses the passage of Arkansas HB 1784, new legislation which comprehensively protects Arkansas residents who are medicinal marijuana patients. As we are aware, under Federal Law, users of cannabis, even for legitimate medical reasons, are prohibited from possessing firearms. This has led to the horrible choice of receiving proper medical care, or exercising what is supposed to be an otherwise inalienable right.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NNXYMJd8XA

    • Eh. She went to the hospital to get checked out, and now she’s “resting at home.”

      Not that I would wish anything bad to happen to her ..

      • Shes signed over power of attorney to her daughter. She knows shes not mentally competent to continue, I think shes suspecting that the end is approaching soon. That vote she did the other day, they had to tell her she was suppose to vote and told her what to vote. This is not the first time shes fallen, they pick her up off the floor on a pretty regular basis there at the capital building. But like Joe Biden, shes more than a few sandwiches shy of a picnic.

  11. Went back to DC in the mid or late 70’s.
    Got a group audience with her. She railed against Penises the entire time we were with her.
    (Ooops, did I make a typo?)
    She clobbered the Robar folding (sniper) rifle stock because when folded…
    “it made the rifle easily concealable”!
    Nitwit back then, good riddance now. Unfortunately, the state of CriminalsComingForYa’s OFFICIAL Voting Machines ALWAYS produce the required results. We’ll get a different toad as soon as she leaves.
    This state blows.

  12. I would like to see more info. We all have road rage spats…no need to kill… he didn’t seem to have threatened her… he did not gain access into her vehicle…. He had no weapon….too many shoot firsts….shooting should be last resort…. She looks cute… maybe trying to hit on her… nothing to die for

    • Uh, no. Get some help. We do not ALL “have road rage spats”, certainly not ones where we pull off the road and pull on the other driver’s car door handle. That is across way too many lines, and as stated by law enforcement she is in the right defending herself from someone trying to forcibly gain access to her house or car.
      Lol “he had no weapon” yes, the lady should have definitely allowed herself to be overpowered, beaten and lord knows what else by the “unarmed” and physically superior man. Guns are an equalizer to make this a more civilized time, and this man now stands as a reminder to all who would use their strength to be a bully.

  13. We love a happy ending to a story as this outcome was. Tooo bad it doesn’t happen more often.

  14. Per a local TV stations website, the “aggressor” was pulling on the car door handle. Presumably the door was locked. Not clear to me at least whether she shot thru the glass or if the door was opened by him or her. If this was an example not knowing the case or the outcome in a CCW class here in NC, I’m pretty sure 99% of the instructors would say this was NOT A GOOD SHOOT. Deadly force was not justified. I am in the minority around here. This happened less than 5 mi from my hse. She could still face a civil trial if the dude has a family and I think she would lose.

    • Geez, trolls and victim blamers as thick as fleas around here today. Yes, we live in a “pay for justice society”, and a civil suit may not go the way it should. But the law is clear, in my state and hers: forcible entry into a house or car is all the perceived threat you need to trigger castle doctrine. This is a good shoot, and any decent instructor would say she balanced waiting until she was sure of a threat with not being caught unaware and unable to react until it is too late.
      In short, in no polite society should you attempt to forcibly gain entry to a locked car or house.

  15. Sounds like a legal but bad shoot.
    Pulling on a (should be) locked door handle? Did he have a Slim Jim? Couldn’t she drive away?

    • Sounds like she already tried to “drive away” but the perp followed her. If it was you’re wife or daughter would you still feel the same?

      This is one of the biggest fears most females face in life, easy to gloss over that as a male.

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