Three Ways That The Discharge Of A Firearm Could Lead To A Misdemeanor Charge
Posted on: 22 August 2018
If you own firearms, you can legally shoot them at a gun range and while hunting. Should you choose to discharge one of your weapons at another time and for another reason, however, you could soon be dealing with the local police force. Different areas have different rules regarding the shooting of firearms. If you live remotely and have a large property, for example, you may be able to lawfully shoot your guns on your property. If your property falls within the city limits, you're almost certainly unable to discharge a weapon lawfully. Here are three ways that discharging a firearm could lead to an arrest and a misdemeanor charge.
Shooting In Celebration
Some people will occasionally fire their weapons into the air to celebrate. This can be a common idea at New Year's, for example. While it might seem innocuous, it certainly is not. When the bullet reaches its apex, it will begin to fall back to earth and it could potentially kill someone or cause property damage whenever it comes back down. Shooting into the air is an unsafe idea regardless of where you are, but if you're within the city limits, you can count on a visit from the police.
Scaring A Pest
If you have a pest in your yard, there are lots of ways that you can scare it off. In a lapse of judgment, you might reach for a weapon. You might not be trying to shoot the pest, whether it's a bear or a raccoon, but you might simply shoot past it to hopefully send it on its way. This is another example of using your firearm carelessly, as the bullet could travel farther than you expect and potentially hit someone or something. If there's a pest in your yard that is threatening you or your property, it's best to keep your gun locked up and call the authorities for help instead.
During An Argument
The discharge of firearms can sometimes occur during heated arguments with family members or neighbors. For example, perhaps you're fed up with your neighbor being so loud, and you go outside to argue. If the argument escalates, you may retrieve your gun and shoot it into the ground or perhaps even the neighbor's house. This scenario is bad because in addition to a misdemeanor charge for discharging your firearm carelessly, you could also receive a charge if you pointed the weapon at the neighbor.
If you do end up being charged for a scenario like one of the above, get in touch with a criminal defense lawyer for help with your legal defense.
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