Shooting a GUN!!!???!!!

[susiestar]

Over the last 2 weeks we have heard some loud sounds, like a car backfiring or a gun. I managed to confirm, about 3 days ago, that it is our idiot next door neighbor firing a gun.

One morning it was at a dog in his yard. Not messing around, just ran into the yard looking for a ball. Did it again and the guy shot at it. Thankfully he is a bad shot. he then started screaming the dog "should be dead".

Just a couple of minutes ago I heard many shots, more than 5, fired blam!blam!blam!blam!blam! then 2 more then 7 more. He stopped between these volleys to reload.

Our houses are WAY too close together for some fool to be firing a weapon! I called the Sheriff and made an anonymous report. The cruiser just came down the street.

Now Jessie really IS anxious. She was dozing when it started and now she is scared.

This is the neighbor who let his daughter run around in the dark with no lights on and nothing around his pond. Who let his 5 yo take his 2yo outside to play "by the pond".

What kind of idiot fires a weapon in a residential area?

 

[DammitJanet]

Well what kind of residential area are you in? Rural or urban? Is he shooting in the air or at an object? Is it a handgun, shotgun or rifle?

He legally cannot shoot at an animal unless it is a danger to himself, his family or his property such as livestock or other animals.

Im not sure the distance a handgun can carry but a shotgun loaded with buckshot can go 500 yards and 22 rifle can go almost that far or farther. I was just having that conversation with Tony about deer hunting not long ago because of differences in rifles and shotguns. We dont deal with handguns but Im sure I could ask Jamie.

 

[Star*]

We have a weapon for answering just such idiots. Never really use it much because the loads cost $3.00 each. But when you fire it? You'd swear the British are coming. At the range? It's near deafening.

They fire first....We answer back....end of conversation.

Should he be discharging any firearm in a residential neighborhood? No.

Should he be firing at an animal? No (unless like Janet said and then he had better have really solid proof because if he's turned in here in SC it's a HUGE fine and a felony) Dude was drug off a bike and I shot in the air and had to show my permit etc....to get the dog away and had to take him to the ER and still -----I was in trouble.

Obviously the man is an idiot. One shot - possibly two at a stray. Not a full clip, or barrel. I'd say keep an eye on him. Get animal control out there now.

 

[DammitJanet]

Star...out where you and I live, we hear shots all the time I would imagine. I know I do. I am immune to it. During duck/geese season I have heard pellets hitting my roof...lol. I dont worry about it. I know Im not getting drive by's.

Now if I lived in a subdivision or an apartment building and guns started going off, that would worry me a whole lot more.

 

[GoingNorth]

People tend to fire into the air without realizing that the round is going to come back down somewhere.

I am not real up on rifles except the older military ones, but modern semi-automatic high caliber handguns can send a round nearly as far as some weaker rifles can, though not with any accuracy.

husband did 'running boar' and combat handgunning competitions with both a Sig-Sauer and a Glock handgun and both of them could hit a target accurately at 250-500 feet. Beyond that, trajectory catches up with the round and drops it considerably. Aiming for those distances is sort of an art and husband used a pistol scope in those competitions.

 

[TerryJ2]

I remember this family. Sick, stupid and wacko. I am so sorry.
Yes, call animal control.
Keep calling the police.
See if you can get the neighbors to do it, too.

 

[AnnieO]

In my neck of the woods it is a major misdemeanor (possibly felony, I'd have to look) to fire a gun in the city limits, exception being BBs or in self-defense.

husband gave me a .22 for my birthday and I hate having to drive to BFF's (they live in the country) to plink. BUT... It's safer.

Complain every time it happens. See if the neighbors will, too.

 

[TerryJ2]

Yes, getting the neighbors in on it is crucial.

 

[hearts and roses]

What kind of idiot fires a weapon in a residential area?

Only the very special kind of idiots.

I hope this is resolved ASAP. There has definitely got to be something on the books about firing a weapon within a certain distance of residential homes I would think.

 

[Fran]

Just because he owns a home in suburbia doesn't make him sane or a non difficult child.
Call the police every time he shoots and hope he hits himself in the foot. I'd have them parked in his driveway if my families well being was at stake. After he accidently shoots someone, it's too late to do something.

I am pretty sure you can not hunt within x many yards of a residence. My in laws live in the country and they call the local Law enforcement when there is a hunter on their property or shoots go whizzing past. I know you can not shoot a gun that close to homes when you aren't even hunting.

 

[Lothlorien]

So, what happened?

 

[Mattsmom277]

Unloading and reloading a gun to shoot at a stray dog????????? Something aint right in this guys head. Nobody in their right mind is going to be able to contend they were at a serious risk if they have time to shoot that much, then take time to reload a weapon. Dogs are quick! Unless it was a crazed rabid dog, it would be long gone anyhow.

I hope the police take it seriously. At the minimum they should be speaking to this clown to let him know of possible liabilities should XYZ occur. And if he's breaking a law, he should be arrested. I would suggest, if you see no response, calling the police again and speaking to a higher up and getting the low down on the law for your particular area regarding discharging weapons. If you get the law defined, I would call each and every time it is violated and make no bones to them when you call that this reoccurs and you are requesting ACTION aside from a "conversation" with Mr.Howdie Doodie!

 

[susiestar]

They came out. He has been given a citation and has been told that the next complaint he will be removed in handcuffs. Around here notes about that will come up if they run his name for anything. Even run his car tags. So in the future if he is stopped for a traffic violation the officer will come at him with the gun drawn until they see he does not have one in the car. Usually they pull you out of the car and search the car thoroughly. If you do not have a concealed carry permit the gun MUST be in the locked trunk or locked gun rack. Period.

We are technically considered rural because we are out of the city limits. We are in a development though, which means neighbors on 3/4 acre lots right next to each other. So the Sheriff considers this an area that it is unsafe to fire a weapon in. Any direction you look you see houses. So the chance of hitting a person or someone's livestock (yes, we can have livestock here. One street over everyone has cows, chicken, or pigs, or some of each.). Hitting a pet is bad, but NOT the kind of trouble hitting someones cow, goat, donkey, chicken, etc... is a serious felony.

This guy will lose his job if they arrest him, so I PRAY he is smart enough to stop shooting. Cause I will keep calling.

Yes, he IS a sad, sick, stupid whackjob.

 

[GoingNorth]

husband once got pulled over in IN with his pistols in a locked case in the trunk. The officers always ask if you've got guns in the car, and husband very honestly said, "Yes, officer. I have two pistols in the trunk"

The two cops then covered him with drawn guns while he opened the case to show them the weapons (which were unloaded with the magazines in seperate pockets in the case). One cop picked up the weapons and said, Whoa! Niiiiice!"

All it took was running him through the database and running the guns' serial numbers. Once everything was in order, they sent him on his way with a warning ticket to get his tail light fixed.

Poor guy. The drawn guns really freaked him out.