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New York man fires gun, arrested in dispute on his lawn

skidmark

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Sorry, but I think the cops nailed this one. And thank goodness they did.

Doofi (shooter, the "gun community"/"gun culture" at large) ought to know that warning shots are not a good idea - especially if you let a few off while the muzzle is pointed skyward.

If the doofus had time to run into his house to grab his rifle he had time to grab the phone and dial 911 then lock the doors and fort up for any possible breaching of the door. Going back outside and shooting a few warning shots not only endangers someone where those bulletrs are going to come back to earth but tends to escalate a shouting match into an all-out shooting match. THere was no need for that, as far as I can determine.

Those who applaud this sort of recekless behavior might want to determine if they meet the definition of an accessory before the fact to the next doofus who fires off warning shots.

Yes, my words are harsh. But then i do believe that anyone who attempts to roll back the sucesses and progress that has been made in protecting and recovering gun rights needs to be dealt with harshly. Live with it.

stay safe.
 

eye95

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Jan 6, 2010
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Fairborn, Ohio, USA
Yep. No warning shot.

Stand in the best available defensible location, gun at the ready. State loudly, "Get off my property." Do not shoot unless you are advanced upon. If advanced upon, shoot to stop the guy in front. This will most likely disperse the mob. If not, shoot to stop the new leader. Rinse. Repeat.

If time and the situation permit, call 911, preferably before you have to fire, staying on the line until the mob disperses or the cops arrive.

I think the biggest problem with the warning shot is that it doesn't help establish that you had a reasonable fear for your safety. If you really fear for your safety, you shoot AT the threat.
 

DrMark

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Jan 13, 2007
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Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA
Yeah, I think the last two posts are right on. Warning shots are a bad idea.

Note that 1245A and I were responding to the fact that this story sounds eerily like a scene out of Gran Torino.
 

skidmark

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Yeah, I think the last two posts are right on. Warning shots are a bad idea.

Note that 1245A and I were responding to the fact that this story sounds eerily like a scene out of Gran Torino.

It started out like the scene in the movie. Maybe Walt knew the JDs (am I dating myself yet?) were armed. But he also knew that warning shots were a waste of good ammunition. And it was a movie where dramatic displays will not get you in jail or the morgue.

I really do believe that we, as the "gun culture", need to make a clear statement that were do not, in ant way, support brandishing or warning shots. It really must be that when you decide to pull it, you need to be pulling the trigger.

stay safe.
 

Thos.Jefferson

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
288
Location
just south of the river, Kentucky, USA
Warning shots

Well the article states that the guy shot into the ground but I agree, no warning shots should've been fired. If the guy would have been in Ky. he could have smoked the iceholes. Sadly he wasn't and will probably go to prison in the hell that is New York.
 

4angrybadgers

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Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
Well the article states that the guy shot into the ground but I agree, no warning shots should've been fired. If the guy would have been in Ky. he could have smoked the iceholes. Sadly he wasn't and will probably go to prison in the hell that is New York.

From the second paragraph in the article (emphasis mine)...
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.

Those warning shots into the air were unnecessary and endangered innocents. Hopefully he won't face any consequences for the actions to defend his family, just the reckless actions.
 

buster81

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Aug 25, 2008
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Richmond, Virginia, USA
I just saw an interview and he said that he returned outside because his cousin was still in the front yard with 15 "gang members." He didn't say why his cousing didn't go in the house when he did.
 

rscottie

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Jun 29, 2008
Messages
608
Location
Ashland, Kentucky, USA
In the interview on Fox News, the man said that when he and his cousin came outside to leave there were MS13 gang bangers (they flashed tats and gang signs) arguing in his yard. They became angry when he asked them to move along. The gang bangers approached the car and when the cousin got out, surrounded him. The other man was able to slip in to the house. He told his wife to call 911, grabbed his gun and went back to help his cousin. When he came back out, the gang had called for backup and this backup was swarming his yard. He then fired the warning shots to disperse the arriving backups.

While this was not a good idea, I would not second guess that he was scared to death. I do not know about NY, but in my state, under these circumstances, taking out one or two would probably not get you any jail time if you were truly in fear for your life.
 

Don Barnett

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Oct 5, 2008
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, ,
I Have to Concur

Sorry, but I think the cops nailed this one. And thank goodness they did.

Doofi (shooter, the "gun community"/"gun culture" at large) ought to know that warning shots are not a good idea - especially if you let a few off while the muzzle is pointed skyward.

If the doofus had time to run into his house to grab his rifle he had time to grab the phone and dial 911 then lock the doors and fort up for any possible breaching of the door. Going back outside and shooting a few warning shots not only endangers someone where those bulletrs are going to come back to earth but tends to escalate a shouting match into an all-out shooting match. THere was no need for that, as far as I can determine.

Those who applaud this sort of recekless behavior might want to determine if they meet the definition of an accessory before the fact to the next doofus who fires off warning shots.

Yes, my words are harsh. But then i do believe that anyone who attempts to roll back the sucesses and progress that has been made in protecting and recovering gun rights needs to be dealt with harshly. Live with it.

stay safe.

I have to concur with this with just reading the report. Of course, the police will investigate and determine if circumstances warranted him discharging his weapon as he did; but I believe he was reckless.
 

eye95

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Fairborn, Ohio, USA
That is not a link to a news story. Linking that site for factual support would be like linking this one. Both sites are advocacy sites.

In the linked article is this link: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/09/07/long-island-man-arrested-for-defending-home-with-ak-47/ . It is a link to a news site that reports the warning shots being fired into the ground.

It doesn't make any difference to my opinion. Warning shots, into the air or into the ground, are foolish. I believe the ones into the ground are more dangerous since they might hit a rock, sending it flying or causing a ricochet. Shots straight up are less dangerous because terminal velocity on the way down is to slow to be very dangerous.

I'll say again, call 911, keep the gun at the ready (pointed in a safe direction), insist that the gang members leave, do not fire unless they advance and then shoot to stop the guy in front, and remain ready until the cops arrive or the threat completely dissipates. The warning shot was a dangerous half-step. (I won't speak to whether it should be considered criminal.)
 

simmonsjoe

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Nov 1, 2009
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Mattaponi, Virginia, United States
In the interview on Fox News, the man said that when he and his cousin came outside to leave there were MS13 gang bangers (they flashed tats and gang signs) arguing in his yard. They became angry when he asked them to move along. The gang bangers approached the car and when the cousin got out, surrounded him. The other man was able to slip in to the house. He told his wife to call 911, grabbed his gun and went back to help his cousin. When he came back out, the gang had called for backup and this backup was swarming his yard. He then fired the warning shots to disperse the arriving backups.

While this was not a good idea, I would not second guess that he was scared to death. I do not know about NY, but in my state, under these circumstances, taking out one or two would probably not get you any jail time if you were truly in fear for your life.
With this new information I think the homeowner was justified, even if he should of shot all his warning shots in the ground(or into some gang-bangers). He has every right to go assist his family member.

Furthermore, this never pull until your gonna shoot stuff is a double standard.
If brandishing were never appropriate then LEOs would never do it. If brandishing can de-escilate then that would be better than having to shoot someone 30 seconds later.


20 gang members surround and start a fight with my cousin on my property? = DISPARITY OF FORCE. This guy SHOWED RESTRAINT.

I would've shot quite a few of them.
 
Last edited:

Jack House

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Jun 12, 2010
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I80, USA
Furthermore, this never pull until your gonna shoot stuff is a double standard.
If brandishing were never appropriate then LEOs would never do it. If brandishing can de-escilate then that would be better than having to shoot someone 30 seconds later.
I agree completely. And waiting to draw until you are going to fire is just stupid in my opinion. It would put you at a severe disadvantage.
 

Johnny W

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Sep 8, 2010
Messages
60
Location
CT
Drawing a gun is assault with a deadly weapon

I agree completely. And waiting to draw until you are going to fire is just stupid in my opinion. It would put you at a severe disadvantage.

Unless you are a speed draw champion, waiting to draw until you are about to fire is a bad idea. But we should not draw our guns unless we are facing a situation which warrants deadly force. Drawing your gun is an action with more consequences than using harsh words, but with fewer consequences than firing the gun. Especially if you fire the gun before you draw it.
 
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