Meeting Notes 082316 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 Gun Control Act, air guns are excluded from the definition of firearms --unless they are manufactured with the frames or receivers of an actual firearm --because they use compressed air and not an explosive to propel a projectile. In reply to a question, Mr. Roberts said that the draft ordinance would not prohibit a projectile from a pellet gun from crossing a property line, for example under paragraph (d), because the definition of a firearm under the draft does not include pellet guns. Mr. Tilley said that he would expect there to be other ordinances under which a shooter of a pellet gun who causes property damage would be held responsible. Deputy Chief Sykes said that there were. Commissioner McKee said that Dr. Arvik’s point is a good one about the velocity of a projectile that is propelled by a pressured gas. My expectation for this Committee is that we would work with the general understanding of the problems and possibilities. I don’t think the general public would consider a pellet gun or a BB gun to be a firearm. I was worried a few minutes ago that the conversation was searching for the perfect solution at the expense of what’s possible, he said. Cross-bows have range and power and can project bullets, but we don’t want to go there. Nor do we want to go to arrows. I would think that we might want to stay within the general understanding of what firearms are: pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Commissioner Jacobs read from something online: “North Carolina prohibits any person from causing, encouraging, or aiding a minor who is less than 18 years old to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed any BB gun, stun gun, air rifle, or air pistol. North Carolina has no other law regarding non-powder guns.” The federal law does not include pressured gas guns in its definition of firearms, he said, and North Carolina only restricts minors from using these guns. If we defined firearms in the way Dr. Arvik is proposing, he said, we would be going beyond what’s generally contemplated in the law right now. Dr. Arvik agreed that as the current definition stands a pellet gun is not a firearm. I want us to rethink that, he said, given therisk posed by the more powerful typesof pellet guns.Imagine a 13-year kid gets a pellet gun for Christmas, he said. He gets no training, and walks down the street shooting at anything he feels like shooting. I call the Sheriff’s Office. What can they do? Chief Deputy Sykes said that if property were damaged then a deputy could take out a juvenile petition for damage to property. If he were hunting then he would be in violation of the state hunting laws. A referral could be made to social services if we thought the child’s parenting were at fault. Ms. Barksdale said the adult who aided the young person to obtain the gun would be in violation of the state law that Commissioner Jacobs had just cited. Dr. Arvik said that this sort of thing happens repeatedly, and if there is no law or ordinance against it then there should be. Do we have to wait until someone is shotbefore we do something? Given the damage that pellet guns can do, we have the authority and the responsibility as a Committee to recommend to the