I know I started shooting. I do know that. >> Can you tell me what happened today? >> I hurt some people today, man. >> You You killed two people today. >> Palm Beach County, Florida. A 22-year-old man, a detective, an interrogation room. What he said next would end his life as he knew it. >> Hello, sir. How are you? You okay? All right. So, I I want to talk to you about what happened today, but I also want to make sure that you understand your constitutional rights. Okay, you have the right to remain silent and answer any questions. You understand that? You do? Do you mind just saying yes cuz I don't want to interpret your nodding as a no. You still have handcuffs on you. I want you to sign that just stating that I read that to you. You're not going to get crazy or nothing, right? You're not going to try to fight me or nothing like that? All right, here you go. Um you got it? All right. Uh you can have a seat. Yeah, just go ahead and sign that cuz I said I'd say that to you. >> On the 22nd of November, 2022, at approximately 6:00 in the morning, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a shooting at a residence on Sneed Circle in Loxahatchee, Florida. Two people were dead. Two others critically wounded. A 1-year-old child was inside the home. Within hours, 22-year-old Eric Walker sat across from a detective and waived his right to remain silent. Before any questioning began, the detective administered Miranda warnings, a constitutional requirement established by the Supreme Court in Miranda versus Arizona, decided in 1966. The ruling mandates four advisements prior to custodial interrogation. The right to remain silent, that statements may be used against the suspect, the right to an attorney, and the right to appointed counsel if indigent. Walker acknowledged each warning and signed the waiver, legally consenting to speak without an attorney present. That decision would seal his fate. >> So, can you tell me what happened today? >> Um Uh I'll start from >> All right, sure. >> Previously, I've been with my fiance 7 years. Basically, um we had a little disagreement and you know, I slept in my car a day or two. Um I told her, you know, we can work it out. I'm going to um come back and, you know, um spend time with her and stuff like that. Um I planned a nice dinner. Um I went I took her to dinner last night. >> Okay. >> Um I spent a lot of money. Spent $180 on dinner last night. Um and I got home and something was just off, you know, I felt that it was off. And um as she went to sleep, I went through her phone and I found that she was, you know, cheating on me. So, um I confronted her about it. I said like, you know, I it hurts because I've been loyal for 7 years and I've never cheated and and you know, this hurts and I got mad. I started punching the TV. I smashed the TV. Um I went outside her the her like her people were being really like like like hostile to me. So, you know, I was just I let the anger get the best of me. I grabbed my bat. I smashed her car, her windows and stuff like that. Um that happened. Then, um I was going to turn myself in last night, but I felt like really sick. So, I I waited till this morning. I went this morning to the gun club and try to turn myself in. They said there was nothing in the system. So, um I went over there. Um I needed my nausea medicine and stuff. I went over there. I was trying to be nice. I was They were all outside ganged up and trying to be nice. I said I'm just here for my medicine and I know I'm sorry. Like I got the best of me last night and I apologize for all this. And her mom had a bat like right she walked up to my car with the bat and her mom's a big lady. So after that she was like basically like threatening me with the bat. Like you know she was had it in her hand like like swinging it and stuff like she was going to beat me up with the bat. So I tried to get out and try to go get my medicine and she was um like like trying to you know threaten me and stuff and oh she's a big woman she's probably your size probably seen her but um I had my gun and I felt really scared and I felt threatened um and after that all I remember is like everything going down. I don't know like really exactly but you know it was just like um I know I started shooting. I do know that. And that's that's really all like >> Okay. Who did you start shooting at? >> Um the mom but I I guess I didn't like you know I didn't hit her so I don't know. >> Okay. All right. Um so yeah I'm just going to back up a little bit kind of just clarify some things. All right? So you guys just all right well try to you seven years together you found [clears throat] out she was cheating on you. >> Yes through text message. >> Yes sir. >> So you got mad you punched TV did um did you do something to her car or something? >> Yeah. >> What did you do with >> I took the bat >> What did it look like? >> I took it to the car yes. >> What does that bat look like? >> Um it's it was black and >> Was it metal or wood? >> It was metal. >> Metal bat? You think black? >> No it wasn't black. >> Oh okay you just not sure. >> I I got rid of it. >> Okay so you got rid of that. >> Yeah >> last night. >> And where did you where did you do with it? >> I threw it on the side of the road. >> Okay. Okay. [snorts] Um all right. So, you go to Gun Club this morning and then >> I tried turning myself in. They said I tried turning myself in for just breaking the car, you know, and nothing was there. And I went back to the house to get my medicine like I barely made it to Gun Club. >> What do you What do you drive? >> Hyundai Tucson. >> Is it that that's silver gray or silver car that's there? >> Yes, sir. >> So, the silver car, you drove that. Okay. So, you drive up to the house. >> They're all outside. >> Who's they all? Like if you can explain exactly who's outside and what happened. >> My ex, her dad. >> Now, you say your ex. There is that Alyssa? >> Yes, Alyssa. Um my >> have a child together? >> Yes, sir. >> And what's the child's name? >> Kayden. >> So, you get to the house, Alyssa's outside? >> All of them, yes, sir. >> Did you text her during this time? Did you send her any messages like, "Hey, I'm coming by" in my messages? >> No, >> Um was there any messaging or communication from when you had your disagreement to when you showed up this morning? >> No, sir. >> Okay. And where is your phone? Is it in your car? >> No, I I don't I got rid of it. I don't know where it was. >> What did you do? Throw it out the window or what did you do? How did you get rid of it? >> I threw it out the window. >> Okay. >> Cuz I I wanted I wanted to go home and sleep before I turn myself in. I didn't want the police to >> Where did you go though? So, where did you go and stay when you left last night? >> Um just in my car somewhere. >> So, I was just in your car. Okay. >> Somewhere. >> Somewhere. Okay. And then you come there this morning um and went to Gun Club. Or Gun Club and then >> in. >> Right. And then know the incident at the house could be might be difficult for you to recall. Okay. I know it's a lot of emotion. I mean, discharging of a firearm is is pretty um jarring and pretty uh [ __ ] Is this your first time ever shooting at somebody or anything? >> Yes, first time. >> Do you have any military experience in your background? >> No, sir. >> Okay. What happens first when you pull into the the yard there? >> I pulled up and then >> [clears throat] >> what I did it I first thing that came out of my her when her mom came running up to my car with the bat, "You need to leave. You need to leave." Like mess like like swinging the bat. I was like, "Look, Renee, you know um >> It's Renee, got it. >> Yeah, I said, "Look, Renee, you know, like I'm very sorry for what I did. Um you know, it it hurt really bad, you know, um what your daughter did to me." And she was just like she just like, "Oh, um why'd you do Why'd you do it? Why'd you do it?" This mean like um I apologizing and I said I just need my nausea medicine. I feel like crap, you know. Um and she just wouldn't let me do anything. Then I got out the car to you know >> she you holding a bat? >> She had the bat in her hand. She was She She kept saying, "You're going to jail. You're going to jail." And I said I just tried to turn myself in. I said, "Can you guys just call the police?" And I you know, she just wasn't having it and then >> Okay, and then what happens? Do you get out of the car? >> Yeah, I got out the car and um she she was like, you know, pressuring me with the bat, so I grabbed my firearm and you know >> Where Where'd your Where was you Where did you keep your firearm? >> Um in the on the floorboard. >> What caliber? >> 9 mm. >> Okay. >> I started shooting. >> Okay. So, you start shooting at who? Renee? >> Um I was just shooting to um towards the door, really, cuz >> Towards the door? >> Yeah. >> What was at the door? >> Um Renee um Well, they all of them went inside first. Um meemaw I mean her Jean and all them went inside and then Renee was like threatening me and then she walked off and that's when I started shooting. >> Okay. So, and maybe I'm not understanding. So, you guys are you're in the car, you get out, they start going back in once you get out to the house? Not Renee. Okay, so Renee stays out, but everybody else is inside? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And you start shooting at that time? >> Yes, sir. >> Don't I don't want to put her words in your mouth. Tell me why you start shooting at that time. >> Because I was I was scared. >> Scared? >> Yes, sir. >> Walker invoked self-defense, specifically Florida's stand-your-ground law, codified under Florida statute section 776.013. He claimed Renee, his fiance's mother, approached his car wielding a bat. Under section 776.012, deadly force is only lawful when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another. Stand your ground removes the duty to retreat, but it does not eliminate the requirement of an objectively reasonable imminent threat at the moment force is applied. Walker's own account dismantles his self-defense claim at two critical points. First, he exited his vehicle and approached the residence voluntarily. The bat had not been swung at him. No physical contact occurred. Under the objective reasonableness standard established in Graham versus Connor, decided by the Supreme Court in 1989, the force used must be judged against what a reasonable person would believe in that moment, not what Walker subjectively feared. A baseball bat held but never raised or swung does not automatically constitute imminent deadly threat sufficient to justify drawing and discharging firearm. The second and more legally decisive point, Walker entered the residence and continued firing. By his own admission, the family members had retreated inside. The detective confirmed none of the occupants possessed any weapons. No firearm, no knife, nothing. The moment Walker crossed the threshold and discharged his weapon at unarmed individuals inside a private dwelling, any colorable self-defense claim was legally extinguished. Florida appellate courts have consistently held that stand your ground requires a threat that is contemporaneous with the use of force. Pursuing retreating unarmed individuals into their home satisfies no legal standard of imminent threat. Prosecutors charged Walker under Florida statute section 782.04, first-degree murder on two separate theories. The premeditation theory centers on Walker's deliberate actions. He possessed a firearm, drove to the location, exited the vehicle, and retrieved and discharged the weapon. Under Florida law, premeditation does not require lengthy planning. It requires only that the intent to kill was formed before the triggering act. The felony murder theory provides an alternative path. Any killing occurring during commission of an enumerated felony constitutes first-degree murder, regardless of specific intent. Walker's statement that he blacked out and just kept shooting was anticipated by the prosecution. Florida does not recognize voluntary intoxication or emotional rage as a defense to first-degree murder. The Florida Supreme Court addressed this directly in Linehan versus State, diminished capacity. Absent a recognized mental disease or defect does not negate the mens rea required for premeditated murder. Walker's remorse expressed in the interrogation room was genuine. It was also legally irrelevant to the elements of the offense. >> You're shooting at the door. Um nobody else had any weapons, nothing like Nobody had a gun, nobody had a knives, nothing like that. Um and then you go inside and shoot again inside. Um that's That's what I'm trying to ask you, what was the reason for going inside and shooting? And if you can explain that >> I I I I don't really don't know. I guess I blacked out and I just kept shooting the gun. Like that's I I really can't tell you, you know, like I did not want to I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to I didn't want to hurt anybody. I didn't want to do any of that. You know, I just it's I don't know. I just I don't know. >> Okay. You hurt some people today, man. You You killed two people today. And you hurt two others. Okay. Michael's deceased. And Alyssa's deceased. And I know you had the last night issue with Dad. That's a fight. Um and I know you had this issue with the texting with Alyssa. But as far as today, you've only said that it was Renee had a little bat and she never swung it at you, nothing like that. So, you do understand why you're going to be charged with two counts first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Okay? >> Mhm. It's all good. It's all good. I understand. I'll take my consequences. >> Okay. All right. Anything else you want to add to this statement today? Everything you said is the truth? >> So help me God. >> It's true. >> The interrogation itself produced a textbook valid confession. Miranda waiver, knowing and voluntary. Detective conduct, methodical, non-coercive, constitutionally sound. The confession was fully admissible under the Fifth Amendment framework. Physical corroboration was equally decisive. A Springfield 9-mm handgun recovered at the driveway, exactly where Walker said he placed it. Crime scene forensics aligned with Walker's stated account. The evidentiary case required no inference. Walker told investigators precisely what he did, swore it was true, and accepted the consequences. Eric Walker, grade F, two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first degree murder. His claimed justification fails under Florida statute section 776.012. The threat was neither imminent nor objectively reasonable at the point he entered the home and fired on unarmed occupants. Sentence: Four concurrent life terms without possibility of parole. Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detective grade B+. Miranda administered correctly. Waiver properly obtained. Interview technique was patient, non-coercive, and strategically effective. The grade falls short of an A due to limited follow-up on premeditation indicators in the hours prior to Walker's return. Details that could have further foreclosed mitigation arguments at trial. Three legal lessons from this case. One, stand your ground as a defense, not a license. Removing the duty to retreat does not authorize pursuing retreating individuals and continuing to use deadly force. The threat must remain imminent at every point force is applied. Two, a Miranda waiver, once signed, is binding. Suspects who believe talking will help their case overwhelmingly underestimate how their own words will be used by the prosecution. Three, self-defense claims collapse when the defender becomes the aggressor. The law draws a clear line between protecting oneself from harm and carrying that force into a space where the threat no longer exists. Let us know if there is an interaction or legal topic that you would like us to discuss in the comments below. Thank you for watching and don't forget to check out our second channel, Street Body Cam, for even more police interaction and courtroom content. >> Put your hands behind your back. You try not to resist, okay? >> Yeah, I will. I'll make sure to double lock too. >> Just put them like your palms What what's more comfortable? Is that comfortable for you? >> I mean, that's what they told me to do right here. >> Okay. This injury here on your arm, was that from today or >> Over here. Where? >> Yeah, no, that's from That's from that, too. >> We can take a picture of >> Probably. Yeah, let me get that, too. that was from last night. Yeah. >> And was it on the car? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, just take your clothes off guys for a little bit more comfortable for you. >> [snorts]