Markeis Deon McGlockton, a 28-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot on July 19, 2018, in Clearwater, Florida. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a local convenience store, Circle A Food Store. The confrontation began when Michael Drejka, a 47-year-old white man, approached McGlockton's car to confront his girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, for parking in a disabled parking space without a placard.
McGlockton, who was inside the store at the time, came out to find Drejka yelling at Jacobs. In an attempt to protect his girlfriend, McGlockton shoved Drejka to the ground. Drejka, who had a concealed carry permit, drew his handgun and shot McGlockton once as he began to back away. McGlockton later died from his injuries at a local hospital.
Initially, Drejka was not charged by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, with Sheriff Bob Gualtieri citing Florida's stand-your-ground law as the reason. However, the case was later handed over to the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida State Attorney Bernie McCabe, who charged Drejka with one count of manslaughter on August 13, 2018. Drejka pleaded not guilty, and his trial began on August 19, 2019. On August 23, 2019, Drejka was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on October 10, 2019.
The case drew significant media attention and public protests, highlighting the controversial nature of Florida's stand-your-ground law. The racial dynamics of the case, with Drejka being white and McGlockton being black, also drew comparisons to the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012. McGlockton's death left behind his girlfriend and their three children, with Jacobs revealing her pregnancy with their fourth child in December 2018.
