Sarah Lopshire hasn't added a story.
My name is Sarah Lopshire and April 23, 2017 my family's lives were tragically changed forever. We are just beginning the battle of our lives.
My son, Ian Roper and his buddy, Nathan Ewing were robbed by gunpoint and Nathan was fatally shot while they held my son back to watch. They then turned the gun on Ian and pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed. Ian ran for his life, Nathan fell out of the car and the culprits sped off.
It's no secret what took place that night. It was the day before Nathan's 20th birthday. Nathan and Ian had plans to hang out when Ian got a snapchat message from someone who one of his friends knew. They wanted to buy marijuana. Yes, marijuana is currently illegal in the state of Oklahoma. But you have to look at the whole picture.
Nathan was an honor student at OU. He was studying to become a pilot and had just flown alone for the first time. Nathan was a positive influence on Ian, a mentor. Ian respected and valued Nathan's opinions and way of life. He motivated Ian to dream and to follow those dreams. He inspired him to take his experiences from hard life lessons and apply it to his future in a positive way, like Nathan had done. Their friendship flourished with endless possibilities. While all that is incredibly beautiful, they also shared a love for marijuana, and anyone who knew Nathan, knew that he almost always had it. So when Ian got the snapchat, he asked Nathan and Nathan didn't have any but could possibly get some. Everyone was eventually supposed to meet at Ian's apartment. But when they showed up, that's not what happened. First off, Nathan nor Ian had any marijuana at that time. But the dudes from snapchat didn't know that. Rather than ask to purchase weed and be on their way, they pulled out a gun. One of them grabbed Ian and held him back while the other one demanded Nathan give them the money and the weed they thought he had. Nathan throws his hands up in the air and they shoot him. They point the gun at Ian, pull the trigger but the gun jamms. Ian wrestles away from the guy holding him and runs. Nathan falls out of the car and the offenders speed off. One of Ian's roommates call 911 and go downstairs and stay with Nathan until the ambulance and police get there. When Ian hears the sirens, he comes back and is completely honest and transparent with them, knowing he's about to get in trouble for the marijuana deal. He doesn't care though because his friend is dead. Ian has done everything that they have asked him. He's been extremely honest with them and willing to help anyway possible.
As if all that wasn't enough to process, now they are charging Ian with 2nd degree murder! Ian was 17 when all that happened. He turned 18 2 weeks later. He's looking at spending the rest of his life in prison, ultimately for a MARIJUANA drug deal that never even took place. The attorneys want $35,000 to $50,000 with $15,000 down just to start. We have $1000 from a gracious family member, but we still have so far to go.
Please, if you have any extra money, we would be so greatly appreciative of anything! I know it's not easy to come up with money that you don't have, so prayers and positive thoughts are just as important. This process can leave us feeling defeated, and we've only just begun.
My mom worked for the courthouse for 20 something years and knows how to do many things, and she's willing to work in exchange for Ian's defense. I have spent time in the lawyers library in downtown okc researching laws and typing up documents that were used in an earlier case I had. And I am willing to work, barter, whatever. So Pro Bono attorneys are a very welcome and would be a dream.
Thank you for taking time to read all this. Please share so I can get to as many people as possible.
Love and light,
Sarah Lopshire
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