• Mother Charged after Shooting into the Air to Scare off group Attacking her Daughter
    109 replies, posted
[quote]A Woodbridge woman was arrested after she shot a handgun into the air to scare off a group of boys who were attacking her daughter. Lakisha Gaither, 35, said she fired a single round into the sky from her legally owned gun Saturday night after a boy punched her daughter in the face during a dispute near their home.[/quote] [quote]The shooting occurred at 9:20 p.m. in the 13600 block of Cridercrest Place. After confronting a teenage girl and her mother in the neighborhood over a prior disagreement, Ms. Gaither and her 15-year-old daughter, Brianna Stewart, began walking home. A group of about 10 boys approached them in the parking lot of their apartment complex. One boy began to swear and insult Ms. Gaither and her daughter, who stood up to the boy. “The two were face to face,” Ms. Gaither said. “He grabs her shirt, she goes to push him off her.” Ms. Gaither said she realized she’d be putting the both of them at risk if she jumped into the fray. “I stopped and turned to walk to the middle of the parking lot. I made sure no one was around me,” she said. “I unholstered my gun, pointed it straight in the air and fired just one shot to get him off my child.” Ms. Gaither said she didn’t try to get away, and police eventually arrived.[/quote] [quote]“I didn’t feel like I was wrong,” she said. “I wanted to protect my child.” But officers arrested her and charged her with reckless use of a weapon. Prince William County police spokesman Officer Jonathan L. Perok said Ms. Gaither “should have called police instead of taking matters into her own hands.” “You can’t fire into the air,” Officer Perok said. “Once something goes up, it comes down. There’s the possibility of causing property damage, injuring someone or killing someone. In an apartment complex, the odds of that bullet coming down and striking something are very high.”[/quote] [url]http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/22/va-mom-charged-after-firing-gun-into-air-to-scare-/[/url]
[Quote]No injuries or property damage were reported after the incident, but Officer [URL="http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/jonathan-l-perok/"]Perok[/URL] said police do not encourage confrontation and urge gun owners to use their weapons only in what they perceive to be life-threatening situations.“The fact she stepped away from the crowd kind of shows she was not in an immediate danger type situation,” he said. “She may have been trying to break up the fight, but that’s not the proper course of action to take.”[/quote] On one hand she was right in doing what she did in order to protect her daughter, on the other she didn't need to fire the weapon if she was able to just walk away.
Yeah. It was in an apartment complex. You really can't shoot into the air in that kind of environment. The chances of it hitting someone on the way down is insanely high compared to most residential venues.
Could have just shot the ground. Or not shot at all and just brandished it at them.
The bullet isn't going to be travelling that fast coming down, if shot straight up. Its like the old myth that dropping a penny from skyscrapers would kill someone. They might hurt, but they won't kill you.
Warning shots are illegal in most of the US. Simply because they're incredibly dangerous to bystanders. It makes sense, if you don't need to use deadly force on a threat then a warning shot is unnecessary. Simply having the gun is enough of a warning that you don't even have to fire.
[QUOTE=Kigen;42623904]The bullet isn't going to be travelling that fast coming down, if shot straight up. Its like the old myth that dropping a penny from skyscrapers would kill someone. They might hurt, but they won't kill you.[/QUOTE] [quote]In Kuwait after the end of the Gulf War, the Kuwaitis celebrated by firing weapons into the air - and 20 Kuwaitis died from falling bullets. In Los Angeles, between the years 1985 - 1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries. 38 of them died. Practically all of the injuries were due to happy holiday weekend revellers. In 1998, four people died from falling bullets, including a 13-year-old girl in Milwaukee. In California, discharging a firearm into the air is a felony punishable by one year in state prison. Those caught could face jail or prison time if convicted. If a stray bullet from your gun should kill someone, you will be arrested and charged with murder. Bullets fired into the air during celebrations fall with sufficient force to cause injury and death (1). However, few data exist regarding the epidemiology of injuries related to celebratory gunfire. In Puerto Rico, where such celebratory actions are common, news media reports have indicated that approximately two persons die and an estimated 25 more are injured each year from celebratory gunfire on New Year's Eve POSTED: Friday, January 14, 2005: Orlando F. Roach was interviewed by officers and later arrested. He has been charged with manslaughter. In the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, about two people die and about 25 more are injured each year from celebratory gunfire on New Year's Eve, the CDC says.[3] Between the years 1985 – 1992, doctors at the King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, California treated some 118 people for random falling-bullet injuries. 38 of them died.[7] Kuwaitis celebrating in 1991 at the end of the Gulf War by firing weapons into the air caused 20 deaths from falling bullets.[7] Source: [url]http://answers.google.com/answers/thread[/url]... [url]http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml[/url]... [url]http://www.clickorlando.com/news/4084756[/url]... [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebratory[/url]... Search engine: Google Key words: death "falling bullet"[/quote] Might want to re think that.
I'd have to side with the mother here.
[QUOTE=Kigen;42623904]The bullet isn't going to be travelling that fast coming down, if shot straight up. Its like the old myth that dropping a penny from skyscrapers would kill someone. They might hurt, but they won't kill you.[/QUOTE] There was a case of an Amish girl that was struck in the head from a mile or two away by a .45 cal muzzleloader round. A guy was cleaning it and forgot that it was loaded and it went off, the round, by a stroke of extreme unluckiness hit the girl in the head while she was on her way home in a horse carriage. Unless the round is fired directly straight up into the air, it's going to hit someone hard enough to hurt them. [editline]23rd October 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Bradyns;42623937]I'd have to side with the mother here.[/QUOTE] She fucked up by firing a warning shot, but i don't think charges should be filed, just warn her not to do it again. She still fucked up though.
[quote]after a boy punched her daughter in the face during a dispute near their home.[/quote] what a fucking coward [quote]Prince William County police spokesman Officer Jonathan L. Perok said Ms. Gaither “should have called police instead of taking matters into her own hands.”[/quote] yeah let's just wait 20 minutes for you to come while she gets wailed on by 10 guys, idiot
should have shot the guys
[QUOTE=cucumber;42624075]should have shot the guys[/QUOTE] I too decide if someone should die after reading a handful of words over the internet.
[QUOTE=Aman;42623895]Could have just shot the ground. Or not shot at all and just brandished it at them.[/QUOTE] No, firing into the ground is just as likely to harm someone as firing into the air. It could cause a ricochet or fragmentation could harm someone. It's extremely reckless to discharge a firearm into anything but a solid target. The mother would have been better off letting the scum bags know she was armed, and if they persisted she could have used force.
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;42624112]No, firing into the ground is just as likely to harm someone as firing into the air. It could cause a ricochet or fragmentation could harm someone. It's extremely reckless to discharge a firearm into anything but a solid target. The mother would have been better off letting the scum bags know she was armed, and if they persisted she could have used force.[/QUOTE] Problem was that her own daughter was in the line of fire.
[QUOTE=mobrockers;42624125]Problem was that her own daughter was in the line of fire.[/QUOTE] [quote]“I stopped and turned to walk to the middle of the parking lot. I made sure no one was around me,”[/quote] She could have just as easily move into a position where her daughter wouldn't have been hit had she needed to fire. Since they ran off anyways, they would have run off if they saw her with a handgun.
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;42624112]No, firing into the ground is just as likely to harm someone as firing into the air. It could cause a ricochet or fragmentation could harm someone. It's extremely reckless to discharge a firearm into anything but a solid target. The mother would have been better off letting the scum bags know she was armed, and if they persisted she could have used force.[/QUOTE] depends. If its any sort of grass or dirt? Nah it's fine. Even solid ground like asphalt or concrete depends on angle.
the intent was good, but the police are right: falling bullets can very easily kill someone. it would've been better if she just brandished the gun at them instead; if that didnt suffice, at least she could've shot the floor or something.
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;42624140]She could have just as easily move into a position where her daughter wouldn't have been hit had she needed to fire. Since they ran off anyways, they would have run off if they saw her with a handgun.[/QUOTE] No, the mother had run off. The daughter was still fighting.
[QUOTE=aznz888;42624149]if that didnt suffice, at least she could've shot the floor or something.[/QUOTE] don't bullets bounce [editline]23rd October 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Aman;42624141]depends. If its any sort of grass or dirt? Nah it's fine. Even solid ground like asphalt or concrete depends on angle.[/QUOTE] So basically its equally dumb as shooting into the air because that depends~ on a lot of things as well if its dangerous or not Basically if you're having to question if something is safe to do with a firearm and you're using the word ~depends~ the answer is probably no
i agree she should have brandished the weapon instead of firing a warning shot, but in the heat of the moment i can see why she would.
[QUOTE=aznz888;42624149]the intent was good, but the police are right: falling bullets can very easily kill someone.[/QUOTE] Didn't Mythbusters prove that wrong, though? I could be wrong, but I know they did test this.
[QUOTE=Kigen;42623904]The bullet isn't going to be travelling that fast coming down, if shot straight up. Its like the old myth that dropping a penny from skyscrapers would kill someone. They might hurt, but they won't kill you.[/QUOTE] it would have to be shot perfectly vertically in order to be non-lethal
[QUOTE=Xenomoose;42624252]Didn't Mythbusters prove that wrong, though? I could be wrong, but I know they did test this.[/QUOTE] Fairly sure they only proved it wouldn't kill you, as it'll never go straight down.
[QUOTE=Xenomoose;42624252]Didn't Mythbusters prove that wrong, though? I could be wrong, but I know they did test this.[/QUOTE] How did they test that? By shooting up into the air until a bullet hit someone?
I was in a similar situation once, and I'm happy I never fired a warning shot after reading this. Basically this kid came to my house looking for a fight and started arguing and pushing my father around. So I went inside grabbed my .22 ruger pointed it at the kid and told him to get the fuck off my property.
[QUOTE=etrius0023;42624269]How did they test that? By shooting up into the air until a bullet hit someone?[/QUOTE] They just tested it's velocity coming back down and how deep into the salt flats it penetrated.
Who are these fucking people that would be able to stop and think "oh I shouldn't shoot in the air because it might hit someone coming down"...? I'm pretty sure that anyone in the situation would've done the same...
[QUOTE=Aman;42624141]depends. If its any sort of grass or dirt? Nah it's fine. Even solid ground like asphalt or concrete depends on angle.[/QUOTE] yeah shoot at the ground at a 90 degree angle and enjoy the nice shrapnel wounds in your legs and feet. [QUOTE=Grabigel;42624308]Who are these fucking people that would be able to stop and think "oh I shouldn't shoot in the air because it might hit someone coming down"...? I'm pretty sure that anyone in the situation would've done the same...[/QUOTE] Unless you're in a life or death situation, which this woman wasn't, it's incredibly reckless to do something like that and a person who thinks thats OK probably shouldn't have access to a firearm.
[url]http://mythbustersresults.com/episode50[/url] [quote] the case of a bullet fired at a precisely vertical angle (something extremely difficult for a human being to duplicate), the bullet would tumble, lose its spin, and fall at a much slower speed due to terminal velocity and is therefore rendered less than lethal on impact. However, if a bullet is fired upward at a non-vertical angle (a far more probable possibility), it will maintain its spin and will reach a high enough speed to be lethal on impact. Because of this potentiality, firing a gun into the air is illegal in most states, and even in the states that it is legal, it is not recommended by the police. Also the MythBusters were able to identify two people who had been injured by falling bullets, one of them fatally injured. To date, this is the only myth to receive all three ratings at the same time.[/quote] Not sure how legit it is, I don't recall the episode at all. (Not taking a stand on anything. Just saw arguing, got curious, Googled it and found this. Figured I'd share)
[QUOTE=Xenomoose;42624252]Didn't Mythbusters prove that wrong, though? I could be wrong, but I know they did test this.[/QUOTE] No. They said that gun fire into the air can and does kill.
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