Bay County, Fla. -
30 seconds of chaos resulted in the shooting death of a Panama City Beach man. More than a year later, we're beginning to get an idea of how the events unfolded.
Opening arguments made in the Patrick Michael Bass trial set the stage for what's to come. "It's going to come down to 30 seconds of chaos and do I believe beyond a reasonable doubt that witnesses are telling the truth." Defense Attorney Russell Wilson says.
The state says that in a matter of minutes Anthony Petracca was confronted at his doorstep and shot. It was after an argument that Bass shot the victim.
Thomas Anderson was among the men involved and is currently incarcerated for charges against him. Anderson recalls a conversation with Bass concerning the incident. "He (Bass) asked me if I thought he killed him (Petracca). I said I don't know."
At the scene, investigators found gun shells from a semi-automatic gun. Testimonies suggest Bass fired the shots in self-defense after Petracca charged him with a weapon.
With inconsistent testimonies, it's unknown who actually owned the gun, but a taped conversation with Bass worked into the state's favor.
"It was never my intention for any body to die. My best friend was about to get killed and I did what I had to do." Bass says.
Investigators found a bullet casing inside Bass's house, just like the ones fired at the scene. The jury now knows Bass is a convicted felon, but need to determine if they have enough evidence to prove he had the firearm in his possession. Bass is anticipated to take the stand on Thursday.
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