Posted on 05/26/2006 9:59:38 AM PDT by llevrok
ISSAQUAH - The Issaquah man who claims he shot a black bear in self-defense near his home Monday night is now under investigation by the Department of Fish and Wildlife for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for hunting a bear out of season.
King County Sheriff's deputies, officers with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms served a search warrant Wednesday at Aaron Enright's home in the rural High Point neighborhood near Issaquah.
They seized the 10-gauge shotgun he used to shoot the bear, a .22-caliber rifle and .22-caliber ammunition. The search warrant indicates they are seeking evidence that would support a charge of "Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the First Degree" and "Unlawful Hunt Big Game 2nd Degree: Closed Bear Season."
"It's complete insanity," Enright told us Thursday night.
Enright says that on Monday he thought his black labrador retriever was at his back door so he opened the door to let it in. Instead he stood face to face with a black bear.
He says he backed away from the door and reached for his shotgun, that the bear backed up about 10 feet from the door, then made a move as if it was going to charge at him.
"I'm tracking it and then it turns and I shoot it," said Enright, showing us where he says he stood in his own kitchen when he fired the single shot through the open door. "It turned left and took one step and I shot it."
After the encounter Enright called for help and a Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist tracked the bear to a tree about 100 yards into the woods. That wildlife biologist shot the bear a second time and killed it.
Fish and Wildlife Officer Dan Christensen now officially questions whether Enright was in imminent danger when he shot the bear. He is the officer who sought the search warrant and pursuit of charges against Enright. KOMO 4 News was not able to reach Christensen for comment Thursday night.
Enright was convicted of felony burglary 24 years ago when he was 17 years old. That is the basis for the "unlawful possession of a firearm" accusation.
Enright's record shows that in 1983 he received a three-year deferred sentence. He claims he has since passed background checks to own the shotgun and the rifle that were seized by investigators on Wednesday.
Enright has not at this point been charged with any crime. That will be up to prosecutors to decide.
I was speaking generically, we ALL get to enjoy our chains, freedom having become a figment of imagination.
Unless you are in illegal "immigrant", then many laws do not apply to you.
I'm thinking they wouldn't give him that option for rape or murder. Perhaps vandalism over $100? I think $100's still the cutoff for a felony. We should probably re-think that, one rock through a picture window shouldn't wreck a kid's life.
Enright was convicted of felony burglary 24 years ago when he was 17 years old. That is the basis for the "unlawful possession of a firearm" accusation.
Yes, lets make sure we rant about illegal immigration on EVERY DAMN THREAD ON THE FORUM.
Oh but think of the PLEASURE they got out of trashing an irreplaceable piano, the sense of power to inflict pain upon privilege. Why, it's social justice!
Have you no empathy for the proletariat, comrade?
Voting rights too?
"Dude my place kicks ass, last weekend I had a big game hunt in my kitchen. But don't tell anyone, I realized it was out of season. This weekend I'm going to have a motorcross expo in the den."
Does this mean that you don't have the place set up for golf next weekend? I had the foursome put together!
Now if only he had shot a manbearpig...
They are being taken over by enviromentalist types.
I originally read the "burglary" part, hence my speculation of a stolen case of beer, but after realizing that that wasn't high enough value for a felony, it slipped my mind. Many things do...
Bring and extra sleeve of balls, the hazards are murder!
I hate JBTs.
Tell that to the NRA, which supports laws presently on the books, such as that one.
The only unarmed bear is a dead bear.
Well Miss Fawn, the dragging part ought to be pretty easy to prove, tracks look very different from drag marks and dragging a 250-800 pound bear can't be simple, particularly since the BEAR WAS STILL ALIVE when the Ranger found the bear and killed him. Sounds to me like a Ranger who likes bears better than humans, hopefully more info to come.
Also, hopefully someone in the legal profession help me here, deferred prosecutions usually don't count as convictions if you meet the requirements of the plea and fulfill your probation. Please let me know if I'm wrong on that.
You are mistaken
Checked out your profile page....you seem to worry excessively about bird fatalities. 100 million a year? Seems to me that's why we're not up to our necks in bird crap.
Your day is coming they just haven't gotten around to you yet let us know when they do so we know not to trust a nother word you post on FR cause you will be a pos felon
Right on cue....give 'em a fighting chance ROTFL...
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