Barstow man claims he shot Marine after attempted burglary

BARSTOW • A 51-year-old Barstow man accused of shooting a Camp Pendleton Marine to death more than a year ago said he, not the Marine, was the victim following a court hearing Tuesday afternoon.

Issa Wajeel is being charged with voluntary manslaughter for the July 3, 2008, shooting of 20-year-old Michael Firkins, originally of Tacoma, Wash. Wajeel said that Firkins and two other men were attempting to break into his house the night Firkins was killed.

Wajeel said he had taken pain medications and begun an at-home treatment for a ruptured rectus femoris, an injury to a muscle in his upper right leg, when he heard banging around his house. He then walked down the hall and went to the front door. Wajeel said the front door opened as he got there and a man knocked him to the ground.

“He was in my living room and I was yelling, ‘Get out of my house!’” Wajeel said. “I saw something pointed at me and all I remember a bang and a flash. Then a police officer was telling me to get back into the house. I was still on the ground. I can’t really walk or stand without help anymore.”

Wajeel said he saw two other men outside his home that night, and he believed that all three were in the military because of the way they broke into his house. He said he was acting in self-defense when he shot Firkins.

Wajeel said he was being prosecuted due to Deputy District Attorney Shannon Faherty’s desire to get a promotion rather than the facts of the case.

 “I’m just a number or a conviction to them,” Wajeel said. “Even people from my church, where I’m the minority, have told me it’s because I’m black.”

Faherty refused to comment on Wajeel’s accusations.

Wajeel’s wife, Heeshin Wajeel, said that Issa was only acting to protect his family.

“He only had the gun because he is hurt right now,” Heeshin said. “We have three sons and I can’t protect myself. Our sons are teenagers and their blood is hotter than that of an adult. He didn’t want them to react and get hurt.”

Wajeel was initially arrested as a murder suspect in Firkin’s shooting death on July 3, 2008. Police found Firkins with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in his truck, which was parked in front of Wajeel’s Barcelona Court home. Police also reported finding Wajeel in his front yard with a gun.

Barstow Supervising District Attorney Michael Fermin later decided not to pursue the murder charges in court, saying that Wajeel shot Firkins in self-defense. However, Wajeel was arrested again by officers and was charged this time with voluntary manslaughter on Dec. 5, 2008 .

Wajeel’s next hearing is set for Feb. 10 and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11. Judge Margaret Powers released Wajeel on his own recognizance and returned his $125,000 bail to the bondholder after a Dec. 1 hearing. Faherty told judge Margaret Powers that she wanted to have a bail hearing following his preliminary hearing.

Faherty said she is anticipating the preliminary hearing.

“I’m happy this is finally moving forward, and I’m looking forward to the facts actually coming out about this case,” Faherty said.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4126 or dheldreth@desertdispatch.com