police came to my door...

[Terminator - T3]

What are your thoughts on this?
How would you handle it?
<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<< <<
The police came to my door the other day, Saturday, March 28th to be exact. They knocked; the officer said that my neighbor had a farm animal that had been shot. According to the veterinarian that had examined the animal that morning the wound was consistent with a gun shot. There was no exit wound; the animal was shot in the neck, a glancing wound not deep penetration. The veteranarion stuck a finger in the wound looking for a projectile and found nothing. An x-ray would be needed to determine if there was a projectile in the animal.
Per the officer, my neighbors mentioned that my household “had some pellet guns or something like that” and the police were visiting all neighbors asking if anyone had seen anything. Apparently the animal was wounded 2 weeks prior on or about March 14th.
With my wife and 2 children present, the officer started to ask questions:
Q: Did any of you see anything?
A: My wife saw the animal one day outside the normal area but other than that nothing out of the ordinary. We said it was disturbing to think someone shot the animal. We are hunters but injuring farm animals and pets is sickening.
Q: Do you have firearms in the house?
A: Yes sir.
Q: Are they locked up?
A: Yes sir.
Q: Are they in various calibers?
A: Yes sir.
I asked the officer for his business card. He wrote down his name and phone number to reach him. I stated I was interested in following up with him to find out what the investigation revealed. He said to call him in about 2 weeks. I was curious to see if the animal was x-rayed since no exit wound existed.

But wait there’s more… a couple of days ago my wife was talking to the neighbor in question and asked about how the animal was doing. They had the animal x-rayed and no projectile was found, just a round puncture wound. The animal had not been shot after all. I have yet to follow up with the police officer.
<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<< <<
Did the police have the right to question me about my guns during an “investigation” based on hearsay of the veterinarian about a gun shot wound that didn’t exist? At the time I was questioned there was no “physical” evidence of an actual gunshot wound.

What are your thoughts on this?
How would you handle it?

BTW – ALL of my firearms were purchased legally and are legally owned.

[jcabin]

The police can ask you anything they want. You can politely refuse to answer. If arrested, you can politely refuse to answer any questions without consulting a lawyer and having said lawyer present.

[Michele]

You didn't have to answer any of his questions as he was not there to question you as a suspect. The police officer was just doing his job. I don't believe he was being intrusive or anti gun by an means. It sure didn't sound like he was blaming you or even suspected you.

You did the right thing, very neighborly.

Kudos for helping out.

[1861]

I agree , you did well.

[tes151]

Under those circumstances, I probably would have done the same thing. If the cop was just on a fishing expedition, or acting like he thought I may be a suspect, he would have gotten nothing from me. You did good.

[Terminator - T3]

Thanks for the feedback. I am still troubled that a LEO came to my door asking about firearms when no absoulte physical evidence of any shooting occured.

[Guns4Fun]

Thanks for the feedback. I am still troubled that a LEO came to my door asking about firearms when no absoulte physical evidence of any shooting occured.

Like already said, they can ask all they want. You don't need to answer them. It sounds to me that he was just asking everyone in the area if they saw anything odd. You didn't need to tell him you had guns or anything else in the home.

[JoeWilliams]

You didn't have to answer any of his questions as he was not there to question you as a suspect. The police officer was just doing his job. I don't believe he was being intrusive or anti gun by an means. It sure didn't sound like he was blaming you or even suspected you.

You did the right thing, very neighborly.

Kudos for helping out.

This.

Except this is a case where I wouldn't have answered questions. He was investigating a crime, and you were a suspect. I would have politely refused to answer his questions and gone back inside.

[unclejumbo]

This.

Except this is a case where I wouldn't have answered questions. He was investigating a crime, and you were a suspect. I would have politely refused to answer his questions and gone back inside.

I would be hesitant to call him a suspect at this point. At most, I think you could call him the newly coined "person of interest" in this case. If someone said they saw you out shooting toward the animal or when the animal was out, then I would go suspect.

Usually, a hole in a domestic animal is a gunshot. Sometimes it turns out to have been an arrow. Until the examination, they were just going with the most likely cause.

[Montanya]

I think my response would have been, "That is a shame someone would do such a thing, I wish I knew something about it but unfortunatly I don't" No further answers about any firearms I own, or don't own, what calibers etc would be given. Fish elswhere officer, I truly don't know anything and if I am just a "person of interest" I don't really want to say anything that escalates my status to "suspect" when I really didn't do anything. If I knew or saw something that would be helpful I would say so, since I don't know anything about it, nothing good can come from me giving the officer further information.

Chances are good that during his investigation he asked your neighbor if any of the people around him owned guns. He likely pointed out that you did and that is what prompted the officer to stop in.