[Gorilla44]

A BB gun is considered a firearm in NC?

[rarestia]

I thought BB guns lacked the critical “fire” component involved with most powder-based cartridges?

[laweeks]

Little Ralphie from A Christmas Story would be on death row then, or probably executed by now. Wow!

[ClearCase_guy]

Fully automatic assault BB gun. Only the military needs something like that.

[basil]

Well—I agree that the kid should be punished-—but this is a bit over the top!

Actually—it’s a lot over the top!

I’d be really upset if a kid shot a BB gun at my car and damaged a window or made a dent in the car, or chipped the paint.........but I certainly wouldn’t want the 7 yr old to be charged with a felony.

How crazy is that?

[mnehring]

Good catch.
Firearm.
–
A handgun,
shotgun, or rifle which expels a projectile by action
of an explosion.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H650v6.pdf

[21st Century Crusader]

I am dumbfounded as to how NC is becoming more and more like new yawk every day! I feel sorry for the REAL North Carolinians!

[americas.best.days...]

Gosh, probation for a 7 year old will be tough. Stay
mostly at home, in by dark, be accompanied by parents,
attend school. In other words,carry on Sam! LOL!

[yldstrk]

she it, my friend, mom of two, told me a story about how they would shoot their bebe guns into the nieghbors’ patio cocktail parties when she was a kid. He dad ran the power and light in St. Louis.

[BCW]

One would have to look up the criminal definition of a firearm in NC and projectile - I know in WV we used to come across this with pellet guns, bows/arrows, and sling shots — didn’t matter if it was fired by gunpowder or by another method - a projectile was launched causing damage either to a person or property...I would say the same is being applied here. Had the BB struck the passenger causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, thus resulting in a collision, be property (vehicle, light pole, house) or injuring a person or a fatality - then I can see why they are going after this little 7 r old. What it doesn’t say is whether they have been complaints logged against this kid in the past - and the DPS is pursuing it because the prosecutor says to!

[Dead Corpse]

Without the requisite FIRE, how in the hell is it considered a FIREarm?

[Vendome]

Well, he did shoot two cars that were not appropriate and fair game targets ..

Gotta pay fer irresponsible and imapriate targets ...

[Stevenc131]

Meanwhile the NC Parole Board is probably letting some serial killer/child molester/rapist out of prison early for “good behavior”.

[TomGuy]

This is as bad an over-reach of authority as the 3-year old in Piedmont, Oklahoma, being ticketed ($3,500, IIRC) for peeing in his front yard.

Sure, this kid needs to be punished and talked to about the severity of his actions; but at his age, he does not understand how bad the results of his actions could have been.

[colorcountry]

My 12 year old son was charged with a felony over shooting at a well padded friend (at friend’s request) with a blow dart. The friend, nor his parents wanted to press charges,....a nosy neighbor saw it and called the police. The cops ‘deemed’ this a weapon and charged him with assault with a weapon.

We plead him down to a misdemeanor and plead guilty in abeyance with community service that was completed. That was back in 1996, and in Utah.

It still seems like a nightmare that cost us a fortune in attorneys fees.

He grew into a great man. At 29 years old, he is a homeowner with two kids, a great job he’s had since he was 17, and the most lovely wife.

[tbpiper]

The officer told me he did not want to charge my son

Officers lie, regularly.

[KeyLargo]

Catawba County District Attorney: two newspapers have recently called for the resignation of Jay Gaither. A number of people have cited his ineffectiveness and habitual drunkenness as factors.

http://www.observernewsonline.com/content/dwi-das-office

[TomGuy]

Catawba County officials need a good FReeping.

An avalanche of emails and bad national publicity made Piedmont, Oklahoma, a laughingstock for ticketing a 3-year old for peeing in his front yard. The city council and mayor backed down after the light was shown on their ridiculousness.

==

My gosh! What if someone gave the kid a Pop Tart and he nibbled it into a shape vaguely resembling ... a hand gun????

==

[so_real]

Once, while heading down the mid-city highway, I came across two boys hurling rocks into traffic. I might not have noticed had they not hit my vehicle. No damage was done. But I called the police nonetheless and met the officer to confront the boys. I told the officer I was not interested in filing charges or making insurance claims. But the boys needed the fear of the Lord put into them before they sent a rock through someone's windshield and ended up killing someone. The officer respected my wishes and the kids (with a parent) got "a talking to". That was it -- and sufficient, I believe, to cure the boys' desire to hit improper moving targets. If a BB gun is now considered a firearm in NC, these boys were mighty lucky they were throwing rocks in WI ... rocks would be considered grenades in NC!

[tbpiper]

The point is not about justice but to get another person, particularly a childl, in the system. Justice in this country is mostly an industry.

[MEGoody]

Well, of course, this kid being charged with two felonies is ridiculous. All the same, why weren’t the parents supervising him more closely?