Target shooting on private property?

[Asmodeus6]

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[eells]

wow. i dont even know. call... somebody... call the county sherriff, i think thats where id start

[Steve in PA]

Why was the rifle taken?

Who took the rifle? PA State Police or local?

Go to the department tomorrow and tell them you want the rifle back.

Sounds like the officer, I'm going to guess a local......doesn't know squat about what they are doing.

You need to call the governing body for the township to find out if they have an ordinance against shooting on your property.......which they can do.

[Asmodeus6]

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[lildobe]

AFAIK, Harrison does not have any ordinances that prohibit the discharge of firearms, neither does Fawn, however it's been literally 10+ years since I've lived in that area so this may have changed.

Go down to the Township Building (behind the Highrise end of the Heights Plaza... same building that houses the Police Department) and and look at a copy of the ordinances and see if there is one against discharge, and if there is, if there is an exception for target shooting.

Also, be ready to file a complaint against the officer involved if no law was broken.

[larry0071]

Im in Economy Boro over in Beaver county. About 10 years there was me, my pal Pat, and my other buddy (NO NAME) who had a fully auto M-16... Legal, and my neihbor with a couple pistols and a .223 Thompson Contender.

The cop heard the full auto shooting and he pullinto my driveway, we could not see this... We were about 100 yards down in my back woods. He walked down a path on my property and started coming into view as he crept along the tree line... trying to hide. I did not know who he was... I grabbed my Glock and walked around my "yard truck" (Samurai) and faced him with my gun in clear view pointing at the ground... Just like he was! I yelled for everyone to shut up and stop moving, the cop came towards me and asked me to dis-arm. I told him he was on private property, my private property... and he should do likewise. After a couple second pause, he holstered and I did the same. I walked to him and we talked, he came down and talked to the UN NAMED man... who he knew the name of... and knew he was a legal collector and owner of many full auto rifles. He said that the sound coming out of the valley was pretty loud and he heard it when he was coming towards our place with his window down..... Whatever. So we chatted a bit, he shot the Contender once...and he asked us to be safe. He also said he would call the office and mention that he stopped and that nothing unusual was going on. I offered to allow him to come by and shoot anytime he wanted, just stop at the house and let me know. He never did.

That was the only time I ever had an officer at my place. I dont have any other homes within 1000 yards of my place. There are legal restrictions to how close to a road you can shoot, how close to a residence you can shoot... and I'm sure there are other requirements. But If your situation is anything like mine, I don't feel you were doing anything wrong, and I don't understand how or why he took your rifle.

Larry

[Lazylaser]

Go get the rifle back.

[Paradigm]

Sounds like you need to have a Western PA group shoot...

...once you get this resolved, of course.


I'd call the township supervisors and ask about their ordinances. I couldn't find it on the proper online databases, so there's a very strong chance it's not out there. But the township code is a public document.

I'd also describe what happened to the supervisors. They are likely the ones who hire/fire the township police.


If you want to be really ballsy, you could call the PSP and tell them that someone came onto your property and stole your gun...

[Asmodeus6]

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[JoeWilliams]

Hire a lawyer. Have him/her call the mayor at home asking if the township wishes to foot the legal bills resulting from a federal complaint caused by their officer's theft of private property and violation of civil rights. Or would the mayor rather personally deliver, to your house, the rifle, a check for the lawyers services, and an apology?

The mayor will deal with the officer.