Was this Self-Defense against a Bully, or Murder? I feel bad for the kid either way…

The Iowa teen who delivered a blow that took the life of a classmate was cleared of criminal charges on Wednesday after newly released surveillance footage demonstrated he was acting in self-defence, according to a report by Omaha.com.

Despite the medical examiner’s determination that the September 25 death of Dakota Escritt, 17, in Council Bluffs was a homicide, the Pottawattamie County attorney announced on Wednesday that Gregary Teer, 16, had used what was described as reasonable force to defend himself under Iowa law.

Wearing a black hoodie, Escritt can be seen in the footage repeatedly shoving a Teer, before his schoolmate responds in kind.

Both boys next raise their arms before Teer delivers a blow that knocks Escritt to the ground and leaves him lying unconscious.

Escritt was rushed to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to his injuries three days later.

An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma caused when Escritt’s head bounced off a floor tile.

The dispute between the two teens apparently began the week before the incident when Teer exchanged words with a friend of Escritt’s after colliding into him during a gym class.

That same night, Escritt and Teer reportedly exchanged profanity-laced Facebook messages.

The virtual exchange was the last known incident ahead of the confrontation that eventually took Escritt’s life.

–TomoNews US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKU6lusdPWk