Bullet goes through my sons bedroom window!

[H22ate]

Well my oldest son and I were sitting on the couch watching television, while my wife was in the kitchen getting ready to fix dinner with my youngest this evening. Around 5:45 (its dark) we heard rapid gun fire through the woods at a pond like we do on occasion, its a popular place for people to shoot. Its about 6:10 when my wife screams, grabs my lil one and gets down on the floor..... WHAT WHAT I said, she says a bullet just went in my sons room..... I said no way. So I walk into the room click on the light and notice a piece of his window blind on the floor and sure enough there's a 1" hole through the window!
I call 911 tell them and the state police my story and they say they'll be out.
Well, me being me I throw clothes on get in my SXS and scramble through the woods. I come upon 2 trucks with 6 people (2 in their 30s, 4 in late teens) and three of them have a firearm (2 pistols and an AR type rifle). I jump out of my buggy and w/o hesitation go to each truck and snap a picture of the plates. These people are "what are you doing etc etc". I told them you just shot a round through my sons bedroom window. One of the teens says how do you know it was us.... REALLY BUD!!! Its dark out, and you are rapidly firing shots at a frozen pond I said.

The older male did immediately ask if anybody was hurt, then a younger guy said he was off work tomorrow and would fix the window. due to their calm and polite demeanor I calmed down a lot as well and told them I just want paid for a window and I would be happy, however the state police were on their way.
We talked a bit exchanged a phone number and I went back home and was greeted by the PSP. I told them what was going on and said that I found the shooters and got their license plate numbers. I drove an officer down to the pond so he could gather some casings as well. The officers were as angry as my wife about the situation. I was mostly disappointed that somebody could be that stupid! I told the officers where the people said they were from and they found both vehicles, talked to the people and an officer came back and asked if I would take him too, to the pond... I did.

While we were riding he told me that they had 52 different stories and one of the men said "how do you know it wasn't him that shot the window" C'MON NOW seriously!
The officer also said that they found a 9mm, the AR, but the .40 miraculously disappeared. One of the guys said he didn't know where it was and it could be in the pond where the broken ice was..... that's why the officer and I went back down there.
I watched them throw, literally throw the firearms and bulk ammo into the back of one of the trucks!

I was giving these people the benefit of the doubt (it was an accident, but a very negligent accident that could have potentially led to the death of one of my children).... But once I heard they didn't know where one of the pistols were I kind of figured it to be a stolen guy, and then they try and say how do the officers know it wasn't my gun....... sorry I don't own a .40.

Ohh and I forgot to mention before the officers showed back up the second time I found the .40 projectile. It went through a wicker toy basket in my sons room and was in near perfect shape.

When the officer and I got back to my house there were 2 more officers there.

Here is my dilemma..... The officer said if I want to press charges one of the men would be charged with 4 counts of felony reckless endangerment. He also said one of the teens was going to stop over my house in the morning and talk to me. He made mention that he was going to offer to pay for the window. As long as its not coming out of my pocket and it gets fixed, I'm perfectly fine with it, however he said I could then press charges after I get cash in hand, IF I infact do get cash in hand!

When he told me the towns where the license plates came back to (drug related towns about 30 miles away!), it made me think getting paid and pressing charges would be a bad idea due to some type of retaliation.

If I don't have somebody show up and pay for a window in the next day or two I am without a doubt going to press charges, but if I do get payment for my damages should I still press charges?

It just makes me sick thinking that it was more than likely a stolen firearm that committed this event, and another bad mark in the eyes of society on the good responsible firearm owners out there!!!

Any thoughts on how this should be handled???

[Berncly]

Since you are debating legal action, I recommend you stop posting about this incident and speak to a lawyer for an opinion in private.
Contacting GunLawyer by phone or message and getting his opinion privately is probably your best option as it relates to this forum.
Phil gives solid advice and if I were in your shoes he is the person I would call for an opinion.
Bern-

[scruff]

At this point, paying for the window would be an act of good will on their part, since they probably think nothing will happen legally. If they do, I'd take the money and let it drop.

+1 on talking to a lawyer to see if there's any chance of success if you press charges.

[eatmydust]

IMO, as a father, your 1st priority should be your family's safety and well being. I won't pretend to know what you should do in this case but if you operate based on family safety and well being, you should feel good about your decision.

[Pag23]

Ger 3 estimates to fix the window and let them pay you the average, I wouldnt let anyone come to my house..

[Exbiker]

Any thoughts on how this should be handled???

So all the badass Darwinism / natural selection people on here and I'm not seeing too many say let the law handle these negligent irresponsible gunners?
So you're gonna give them a soft place to fall by way of a broken glass split 5 or 6 ways and potentially a stolen gun?

[ItchyTick]

Shooting at night with the people from a questionable area.

First consideration is your family 's safety.

[fallenleader]

i don't know where the pistol is, maybe in the lake?
the one they shot your window with. yeah press charges.
besides pretty much every manual i've ever seen said "don't shoot at water" you'll be doing everyone a favor.
i second contacting gunlawyer, not only does he wield ungodly mod powers, he's a gun lawyer (duh)

[scruff]

So all the badass Darwinism / natural selection people on here and I'm not seeing too many say let the law handle these negligent irresponsible gunners?
So you're gonna give them a soft place to fall by way of a broken glass split 5 or 6 ways and potentially a stolen gun?

We need a lawyer's opinion. What are the chances of them facing any significant penalties here, when you don't have the gun and you don't know who fired the shot? If the likely outcome is that they walk away with summary offenses or nothing at all, is it worth the hassle and possible repercussions?

[bogey1]

I was in this situation before, but my situation ( I think ) was a case of insurance fraud.
If ungawa were here, he'd attest to it.