BS’D:
I find it very interesting that there are those who are willing to defend someone who in this day and age many Kanoim would say was Chayiv Misa and would have no problem with pulling the trigger themselves.
Perhaps the one who pulled the trigger was the Sheliach of HKBH, similar to the one who’s ladder broke & killed the one beneath?
Who knows. All I know is Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (A REAL GADOL) approved of him, so what does that say for the Kannoim of our day? Perhaps it just proves his Teshuva, that he died “Al Kiddush Hashem” trying to save Yidden & bring about the will of the Gedolim. Or perhaps he deserved it, but had a Zechus.
Only HKBH knows, not us puny people.