Jogger accused of filming himself fatally shooting homeless man who was blocking his way

A jogger who reportedly filmed himself shooting a homeless man he had just woken up for blocking the sidewalk in California has been charged with voluntary manslaughter.

Craig Elliott, 68, faces a maximum sentence of 21 years behind bars if found guilty of the felony charge. The incident occurred on September 28.

According to prosecutors, on the day of the shooting Mr Elliott had been jogging with his two dogs while pushing a pushcart on a sidewalk in Garden Grove, California, when he encountered 40-year-old Antonio Garcia Avalos.

Mr Avalos was sleeping in the middle of the sidewalk.

Mr Elliott allegedly used his pushcart to nudge Mr Avalos in an attempt to wake him up to get around him. When Mr Avalos woke up, he began yelling at Mr Elliot to get away from him, and threw a shoe at him.

Mr Elliott, who is accused of recording Mr Avalos during the exchange, then allegedly grabbed a handgun from his pushcart and shot him three times.

Mr Avalos later died from his injuries.

Mr Elliott had an active concealed carry permit issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the shooting, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the case.

He was arrested on a warrant on Friday, November 17 by the Garden Grove Police Department, but later released after posting $100,000 bail.

Mr Elliott is scheduled to be arraigned on December 15 at the Stephen K Tamura Justice Center in Westminster, California.

“This is a tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the worst possible way over a minor inconvenience of a blocked sidewalk, and a man is dead as a result,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

“This case is a stark reminder that taking the law into your own hands is never the answer and that there are consequences for your actions.”