White Lake Township man who fatally shot burglar charged with manslaughter

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Dayton Knapton, 24, of White Lake Township.

(FOX 2) - Months after a homeowner fired shots at several individuals breaking into his detached garage in White Lake Township, the 24-year-old resident has been charged with manslaughter, assault, and two other felony counts.

The gunfire struck two people, killing a 17-year-old.

Dayton Knapton was arraigned on Friday and given a $200,000 cash/surety bond for the four felony charges. Five others, including four juveniles, were also charged in the case of attempted burglary.

Attorney says man who shot burglar is innocent

A White Lake Township man is charged with manslaughter after he opened fire on a group of individuals who broke into his detached garage over the summer. His attorney says he feared for his safety and was defending himself.

The backstory:

Early in the morning on July 8, a homeowner was alerted by a motion detector that had been set off in his garage. He exited his home and after hearing noise, he allegedly fired two rounds before ordering those inside to get out.

Afterward, the individuals inside exited the garage. He then fires his weapon several more times.

Police later became notified that a 17-year-old was at a hospital in Commerce Township while another was near the hospital.

One of those victims later died from their injuries.

A neighbor told FOX 2 at the time it was not the first occurrence of individuals breaking into the garage, adding they believed the suspect burglars were trying to steal dirt bikes that were kept inside.

Teen dies after suspected break-in at White Lake Township

Police are investigating the circumstances around a shooting in White Lake Township after a homeowner fired on seven people who broke into his garage early Tuesday morning.

Big picture view:

On Friday, the Oakland County Prosecutor announced charges against Knapton.

He allegedly used a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and fired two shots into the garage through a windowless locked door. As the burglary suspects fled, Knapton then fired five more shots before going inside his house.

He reloaded his weapon and returned outside.

Knapton's attorney said the attempted burglary was the third time that individuals had broke into his garage, leading to the defendant obtaining a motion detector for the property.

What they're saying:

The question at the heart of the case is whether Knapton had a right to use deadly force when he fired his gun.

Prosecutor Karen McDonald said owning a firearm comes with a "profound responsibility."

"Our office worked closely with law enforcement to review the evidence, including the obvious mitigating factors, which led us to these charges. We believe the evidence demonstrates this defendant crossed the line by firing outside his home at fleeing persons. His actions not only took a life but potentially endangered the surrounding community by firing his weapon into the night."

The other side:

During his court appearance, Knapton entered a not-guilty plea through his attorney. He also waived a formal reading of the charges.

According to his attorney, Knapton has no criminal history.

"I don't think the facts are the issue. At issue is the motivation or the possible legal defenses behind those facts," said Dov Lustig.

The judge declined to add a 10% provision to the bond. Knapton was also ordered to stay in the state and cannot possess firearms or ammunition. He is allowed to leave for his job.

Lustig said he plans to readdress the bond during Knapton's probable cause conference.

A previous version of this story misstated the order of the defendant's actions on the night of the shooting. The story has been updated to reflect what happened.

The Source: A court arraignment and previous reporting were cited for this story.

Crime and Public Safety Oakland County