SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A man who fatally shot another man at the Campland on the Bay RV resort in Pacific Beach was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years to life in state prison.
Michael Lawrence Callahan, 40, was convicted by a San Diego jury for the May 16, 2023, shooting death of 49-year-old Ryan Abbott. Jurors acquitted Callahan of first-degree murder, but found him guilty of second-degree murder, plus an allegation of using a gun in the homicide.
The shooting happened at around 10 p.m. after Callahan and Abbott got into an argument near a hot tub area of the resort.
After the argument, Callahan retrieved a gun from his nearby trailer, then fired a shot that did not strike anyone, according to prosecutors. This prompted Abbott to get out of the hot tub to confront Callahan and Callahan shot him. Abbott was taken to a hospital, where he died.
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Deputy District Attorney Jessica Sutterley said Abbott was attempting to de-escalate the situation and was unarmed when he was shot.
Callahan's defense attorney, Samantha Greene, said that prior to the shooting there was a "mutual fight or a fight that might even been instigated by the victim in this case." She also said intoxication played a role in her client's decision making, as Callahan was under the influence of multiple substances at the time, including psychedelic mushrooms that he might have unintentionally consumed.
During the sentencing hearing, Callahan said in a statement that he was "incredibly sorry" and said he felt "truly horrible for anyone who has suffered and gone through pain from this."
San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez sentenced Callahan to 15 years to life for the murder count, plus an additional 10 years for the gun allegation.
The judge said she did not believe Callahan intended to kill Abbott and likely intended to scare or intimidate the victim. However, she called the shooting "senseless" and said Callahan made the choice "to bring a gun to a minor altercation."
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