The man accused of fatally shooting a Las Vegas mother of four two weeks ago claims that he opened fire out of fear for his life, officials say.
Last Thursday, 19-year-old Erich Nowsch was arrested and charged for shooting Tammy Meyers, 44 in front of her home. Meyers died two days later after being taken off life support. Her family originally claimed that Meyers got into a confrontation with passengers in a vehicle carrying Nowsch, which then proceeded to follow her home and open fire at her. Further investigation revealed that Meyers and her armed 22-year-old son, Brandon, went looking for the vehicle prior to the shooting.
In addition to Nowsch's self-defense claims, the Associated Press reports that he and Brandon Meyers engaged each other in two shootouts:
Nowsch showed his friends a.45-caliber handgun and told them he fired several shots in the first encounter and 22 shots in the cul-de-sac, authorities said.
Robert Meyers and police said Brandon Meyers fired three shots during the second shooting. It wasn't clear if he hit a silver Audi with Nowsch and at least one other person inside, police said.
The specifics of what happened that night remain cloudy, and the driver of the vehicle carrying Nowsch remains at large. Nowsch, who made his first court appearance yesterday, faces charges for first-degree murder, discharging a gun into a vehicle, and attempted murder.
[via Associated Press]
