Bullet goes through my sons bedroom window!

**DennisH82** · January 30th, 2018, 04:14 PM

Where I live at least once a month (or so it seems to me) it sounds like someone doing a mag dump pretty close to my home. I know what fireworks sound like and I know what its like to be downrange of someone doing target practice for keeps. From the sound, I am not in line with their target of they may get some return fire. I am pretty sure its some asswipe attempting to shoot some clouds down or launch some lead satellites. Before and after the fireworks law changes we always have there brain trusts that decide 11pm on a work night is a good time to celebrate the 4th of July in Dec. I have been shot at enough ion my life and I don't want to be sitting on my couch and catch an "OH SHIT" round din the face because some nutter saw to many Rambo movies. As long as they fellows pay for you window apologize and don't make it a habit you sometimes have to cut your losses. If their shooting range is a source of unwanted lead you may want to look into signage about homes being in your direction or some legal help to prevent you or a loved one becoming a fatality.

**Williamsmith** · January 30th, 2018, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

Actually, there's enough circumstantial evidence to convict every one of them for conspiracy and evidence tampering and criminal negligence, based on statements made in this thread. The fact that they hid the gun isn't exculpatory, it's incriminating, it shows a guilty mind. The OP can testify as to what he saw and what they said, and that's just as much evidence as ballistics tests on the gun involved. If they find spent .40 casings, even better.

Could you elaborate a bit? Tampering with evidence is the one crime I might agree on if you can determine who made the handgun disappear. Negligence is a general requirement of culpability. While there might be probable cause to file a criminal complaint based on circumstantial evidence, to convict before a jury of peers would be by no means an easy task.

I think in reviewing the OPs statement, his wife might also end up in court since she brought it to the attention of her husband. To be sure, the actors have a lot of explaining to do and a good follow up interview process with all suspects would probably develop additional evidence. And perhaps a confession against somebody’s interest. Each one involved will have to be represented by a different attorney and that in an of itself can result in somebody being thrown under the bus.

I still think the gun is crucial in this case. Since it is a popular place to shoot, it is not at all unexpected to find casings laying around. The casings can also be connected to the gun by markings.

**Exbiker** · January 30th, 2018, 04:37 PM

I wonder how many of that group have a License to Carry or Hunting License? Could be looking at the lose of rights.

**H22ate** · January 30th, 2018, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by RBELARDI

Here is how I would handle it. JMO again. When (IF) the person taking responsibility contacts you, tell him you want to meet him at your residence. If he doesn't know exactly where u live meet him off site somewhere and bring pictures. Tell him you want to meet with as many of the people that were shooting that day as possible. (Might work might not). When you meet him explain to him that you aren't pressing charges because he "stepped up to the plate and took responsibility for his actions".

Also explain to him that the PSP gave you the option to collect the $$$ and press charges which you aren't doing.

Explain to him in case he didn't know the dangers of shooting like he did.

Get an estimate to get the window replaced and give it to him and tell him you will send him the pictures of it complete after the work is done so he doesn't think u are taking the $$$ and spending it on new guns. . . LOL

You get to chalk it up to a lesson taught and hopefully he chalks it up tp a lesson learned.

If he doesn't take responsibility for it nail them to the wall.

That's more than likely in a perfect world how I would like this to go down. I talked to a friend of mine today who too is an avid firearm guru like myself and we both thought, if I get reimbursed the damages that should suffice my needs. My wife on the other hand who was one of those "i don't like guns" when I married her 10 years ago doesn't quite feel the same way. Coming from a background of growing up around, handling, and using firearms, I unfortunately know that accidents DO infact happen. As negligent as this situation is/was it was still an accident and we weren't targeted, we just happened to be the house through the woods that got hit.
So instead of shooting my indoor archery league today I sat at home waiting on somebody to stop by and offer to pay for my damages...... Well that never happened, but I was able to get a glass guy to come out and take measurements so I can get an estimate on replacing the window.
Maybe I'm being too optimistic but am really hoping somebody does offer to pay for the damages, I'm not out to try and ruin somebodies life or record due to this.

Originally Posted by unclejumbo

Many, many thoughts.
--There are several things they can be charged with. They will only be charged with your blessing. You and your family are the victims and without a victim, there is no crime. Meaning it will be up to you if there are criminal charges.
--PSP should have threatened to confiscate every single gun for ballistics testing (which takes months and months) in order to recover the firearm that launched the projectile. They also would have been well within bounds to conduct a consent search or hold the vehicles until a warrant was obtained.
--You don't need your own attorney if you're going the criminal route, the Commonwealth attorney is your attorney.
--You can recover far more than the cost of the damage if you want to bitch slap them without using the criminal justice system. You'll need an attorney for that. Even if it's only 5K, that's a punch in the gut.

From what I was told and over heard a few of the officers talking amongst themselves while I was talking to a couple others, they confiscated bags and bags of ammo. How much that amounted to I do not know?

Originally Posted by GunLawyer001

Actually, there's enough circumstantial evidence to convict every one of them for conspiracy and evidence tampering and criminal negligence, based on statements made in this thread. The fact that they hid the gun isn't exculpatory, it's incriminating, it shows a guilty mind. The OP can testify as to what he saw and what they said, and that's just as much evidence as ballistics tests on the gun involved. If they find spent .40 casings, even better.

We found a couple hundred spent 9mm and .40 cal casings along with .223 casings. In one of the pictures I took of a license plate you are able to make the magwell out on one of the pistols and multiple boxes of .40 and 9mm ammo but that was all. While at the scene I saw the 3 firearms and we (the officer and I) were able to gather casings from all 3 different weapons.

EXBIKER...... I would bet my last dollar that not one of the people that were there ever owned a hunting license or took many steps into the woods other than that evening.
Most of them were from "city" areas and one was from the state of California. They made the statement that they were in the area for a funeral, and my comment to them was they damn near could have caused a second due to shooting in the dark at a frozen pond!

**Williamsmith** · January 30th, 2018, 07:55 PM

If you don’t own the property it would be nice if you could get the property owner to post it against trespass. Then request your PSP to do a property check understanding that any trespassers could be cited. That should reduce the risk of it ever happening again significantly.

**wanneroo** · January 30th, 2018, 08:27 PM

Based on my life experience and knowledge, my approach if the authorities get involved in any situation is that you present your case as unemotionally and straightforward as possible and let the police do what the police do and if charges need to be pressed so be it. In the end most stuff these days never seems to go to trial and they'll cop a plea deal. Most likely it's the only way they will learn. My thinking on this one is they are not going to voluntarily cough up the cash and they have probably scattered to the winds now.

On the other hand, in life I have run into situations where you have to weigh up fighting it to the end and the time and effort that might go into it compared to moving on with your life and investing that time and money in more productive things. I have had to make those choices numerous times in my life, most recently with a harebrained woman not paying attention and driving too fast that hit my car in a parking lot and I got most of the blame because I was in reverse despite being at a stop. I fought it out for a while but in the end had to weigh up my time and money even fighting my own insurance company and just decided to move on and invest my time and money elsewhere.

Can't remember what you said the status of the land is where the shooting came from, but I would liaison with whoever it is that controls it, find out what the deal is and then take steps to keep this from happening again. If it is off limits to shooters, then next time people decide to light it up down there you can immediately call the cops. I had to go though this with neighbors that thought my land was a free fire zone and explain to them they are not sending rounds my way and it's something I am sure I will have to contend again with in the future as well as the years go on and people come and go.

**wanneroo** · January 30th, 2018, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Williamsmith

If you don’t own the property it would be nice if you could get the property owner to post it against trespass. Then request your PSP to do a property check understanding that any trespassers could be cited. That should reduce the risk of it ever happening again significantly.

I have posted my experiences in the past with such things so I will not tell the whole story again, but when I first moved to where I was, the land was undeveloped and hence neighbors had considered it their own personal state park to hunt, shoot, camp on, ride motorcycles on, snowmobiles on, etc. all with no consideration for the maintenance of such property or paying the taxes for it or any other expense or time. Especially once roads/trails were built they really thought it was party time. Hence it was a rude surprise and a bit of butthurt going on when all that ended for the locals(I do allow access to friendly neighbors that ask to hunt at specific times). Roads and property lines posted and natural barriers added and road entrances gated along with a network of visible and invisible trail cams. I found if you didn't do so, people had no respect for your boundaries and property and would trash it.

**Daycrawler** · January 30th, 2018, 09:27 PM

Thank God no one was hurt! My first priority would be to protect my family. I wouldn't invite even one of them to the house because, if one knows they all know. The broken window IMO is of little importance. They will probably never return and you should want it that way. No amount of money could ever replace a family member. Fix the window and write off the damages. Even make a report to your homeowners. Do invite anyone to your house, except the Police in this case. My biggest fear would be that they or some others return when you aren't there to protect your family. What do you do then?