After more than a year of waiting, a New Hampshire gun owner has learned that he will not face charges in the fatal shooting of a man who had chased him and rammed his vehicle with his own car.
The shocking events unfolded on the night of September 16, 2024 in Littleton, New Hampshire. 44-year-old Shane Miller had stopped by the home of a friend after work. While he was enjoying a beer with his buddy, 38-year-old Eric Rexford showed up with his girlfriend Sarah Nyce. Miller and Rexford weren't on the best of terms, and that night Rexford accused Miller of having an affair with his girlfriend.
Miller denied the accusation and eventually left the house to avoid the "drama" Rexford had started. He drove to a convenience store, while Rexford called him on his cell and told Miller he'd be waiting for him at Miller's home.
Miller planned to see if Rexford really was at his house, and stay with his sister if Rexford was there rather than risk a confrontation. When he pulled his SUV out of the convenience store parking lot, Rexford’s Subaru Impreza was behind him.
Rexford rammed Miller’s car, starting the chase through town. Newell, who was Rexford’s passenger before and during the chase, told investigators Rexford had ranted about wanting to beat up Miller before he saw Miller’s car.
Rexford and Miller drive 50 to 60 miles per hour at times during the chase, with Rexford driving on lawns and in the opposite lane of traffic in order to keep pace with Miller and ram his car, Newell said, “playing bumper cars.”
Rexford managed to pop one of Miller’s back tires with his ramming before he finally pinned Miller’s car against a sidewalk. Rexford got out and started walking toward Miller, who then got out of his car and opened fire with a .22 caliber SigSauer pistol. Miller fired 10 rounds, emptying his gun’s magazine.
Miller was on the phone with 911 for much of the chase, and the dispatcher heard the gunshots as well as Miller's post-shooting shouts of "You done mother******’?", "Tried to kill me, mother******," "I didn’t want to kill you," and, "I'm sorry, I didn’t ******** mean that."
While those statements (or shouts) in the heat of the moment might indicate that Rexford didn't pose a legitimate threat to Miller, there's a mountain of evidence that indicates otherwise.
The chase alone demonstrates that Rexford intended to cause Miller harm, and a passenger in Rexford's car at the time told police that Rexford had been "ranting" about wanting to beat up Miller even before he spotted his car at the convenience store.
Rexford was on medication for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but an autopsy also discovered methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in his system, along with a blood alcohol content of .16; twice the legal limit for driving in New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's office didn't say why it took so long to determine that Miller’s shooting was an act of justifiable self-defense, but based on its report I think that's the right call. Rexford wasn't just the initial aggressor. He was the only aggressor. Miller had tried to remove himself from Rexford's presence not once, but twice, and Rexford pursued him with the intent to do him harm.
In those circumstances it was more than reasonable for Miller to believe that Rexford was going to continue his assault, and Miller had every right to protect himself from a guy who had arguably already tried to kill him with his car. I'm glad that Mr. Miller no longer has to worry about having to defend his actions to a judge or jury, and though you can never really get over something like this, I hope that Miller can at least move forward with his life.
Editor's Note: The radical left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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