Posted on 09/07/2010 8:01:18 PM PDT by Coleus
A homeowner who grabbed a rifle from his house and fired warning shots in a confrontation with a group of men on his lawn faces criminal charges, but his family said he was defending his home from a threatening mass of strangers.
George Grier, 30, fired rounds into the ground and air from an assault-style rifle after arguing with a large group of men gathered outside his Long Island home Sunday evening, Nassau County police said Monday. No one was hurt.
His sister, Caprice Rines, said Grier feared for the safety of his wife and two small children when about 20 men converged on his Uniondale lawn after two of them began quarreling. He didn't know the men, who ignored his requests to leave and kept approaching the house, she said.
If that were me, I probably would have just called the police department first and let them handle it. If they were illegal aliens, they probably would have run away when the cops showed up. And, he probably could have conveyed his message by just brandishing his rifle instead of actually shooting it where he could have killed somebody for loitering on his lawn.
Dumbass prosecutor.
What the hell is an “assault-style rifle”?
I'd have fired ONCE into the ground directly in front of the approaching fighter. The next shot would have found a much softer target...
Call the cops and wait for them to come thru the front door. Firing bullets into the air can kill someone else.
“Shannon Smith had been an award-winning athlete and honor student, and had graduated from the eighth grade a few weeks prior to her death. While standing in her backyard and talking on the telephone with a friend, a stray bullet hit her in her head, causing instant death. Smith’s death sparked a furor among Arizona residents. Her funeral was attended by approximately 1,300 mourners.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon%27s_law_%28Arizona%29
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/13/03107.htm
The best warning shots would be into the soft target first.
The dirt is no threat.
That said, he had the wrong firearm with him. A 12 gauge with 00 buck would be a far more effective tool. For noise effect, a 410 would work well too.
"Get off my lawn!"
Quickdraw!
Call 911 and Die
http://www.amazon.com/Dial-911-Die-Richard-Stevens/dp/0964230445/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283914961&sr=1-1
NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL AN “ASSAULT-STYLE” WEAPON! LOL!
One of the most basic rules of marksmanship is know what you are shooting at and be sure of your backstop (what your bullet will hit if you miss or your bullet goes through your target).
If you are shooting in the air you have know idea what you are shooting at or where your bullet will eventually come to rest.
I have read of many tragedies caused by hunters and shooters who did not follow these two simple rules.
I agree this man had the right to defend his home but he did recklessly fire his rifle in the air. He may be guilty of reckless endangerment of his neighbors.
And wait 40 minutes for the cops to show up?
A deer rifle....
Totally Awesome Guns and Range commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAyJhnrCQFw
Love that movie!
For all you and I know...the guy had blanks!
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