I'd like to ask for email and publicity support to fight proposed gun restrictions where I live - Loudoun County, VA.
More on this issue at the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.'s Facebook page.
Here's more information on the current ordinance and what triggered the push for stricter discharge prohibitions:
Here's more information on the meeting.
There' hasn't been a lot written about this incident, but it turns out someone was target shooting in Loudoun County, Virginia on May 5, 2018 and some bullets hit three houses. Nobody was hurt, thankfully.
It appears (again, limited reporting) as if the Loudoun County Sheriff's Department knows who was doing the shooting, but is not planning to prosecute them. It's not clear why that's the case - several state laws were clearly violated, including reckless endangerment. Why are these existing laws not being enforced? Instead, the County is now looking at further restrictions on shooting.
The article in the Loudoun Times-Mirror claims that a “machine gun” was being used. That is possible and could explain missing the berm if the person shooting was not trained in managing the recoil of a fully-automatic gun. Of course, the press has a bad record on identifying firearms, so who knows? Machine guns are fully automatic and, although not outright illegal, are significantly restricted: Federal law prohibits the possession of newly manufactured machine guns, but permits the transfer of machine guns lawfully owned prior to May 19, 1986. State law adds registration and usage restrictions.
The County is going to ask some firearms experts (we don't know who at this time) to give input at their next meeting on June 21 on how the County's ordinances can be revised. The current regulations (Chapter 684.03) restrict discharging of firearms in certain heavily populated areas, and, in other areas, there are additional restrictions:
(b) The discharge of firearms is prohibited within 50 yards of a highway in the primary or secondary system of State roads.
(c) The discharge of firearms is prohibited within 100 yards of any public park or school. Nothing in this section shall be enforced within a national or State park or forest or wildlife management area.
(d) The discharge of firearms is prohibited within 100 yards of a building with a current occupancy permit unless the owner or authorized agent has given permission.
According to the article linked above, the following state senators and supervisors (email address are below) are calling for changes to the ordinances, "to increase from 100 yards to 880 yards, or one half mile, the minimum distance an individual must be from any occupied home or occupied structure when discharging a firearm."
“Sens. Jennifer Wexton (D-33) and Barbara Favola (D-31) and Dels. Jennifer Boysko, John Bell (D- 87), Karrie Delaney (D-67), Wendy Gooditis (D-10), Kathleen Murphy (D- 34) and David Reid (D-32) sent a letter to the board calling for emergency action to restrict the discharge of firearms in developed areas.”
I am a lifelong Loudoun County resident from Sterling. I currently live in Lovettsville on 7 acres, which I bought in large part due to the freedom to exercise my second amendment rights. I literally printed the local firearms ordinance and walked the entire lot with one of your officers to ensure that I could comply with the law and shoot safely and legally. There are many thousands of responsible gun owners that live in Loudoun County and shoot responsibly on their own land. Attacking the rights of thousands because of the irresponsible behavior of one, or even a few, is unfair and tyrannical. Please protect our constitutional rights as you have sworn to do.
Please write to and/or call the representatives listed below and ask that the existing laws against public endangerment are enforced rather than targeting law-abiding citizens:
All Board members receive mail and calls at:
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
1 Harrison Street, S.E., Fifth Floor
P.O. Box 7000
Leesburg, VA 20177-7000 Phone: 703-777-0204
Fax: 703-777-0421
Comment Line: 703-777-0115
Email addresses:
Jennifer Wexton (D-33) district33@senate.virginia.gov
Barbara Favola (D-31) district31@senate.virginia.gov
Board of Supervisors' Office: bos@loudoun.gov
Phyllis.Randall@loudoun.gov
Ralph.Buona@loudoun.gov
Suzanne.Volpe@loudoun.gov
Tony.Buffington@loudoun.gov
Ron.Meyer@loudoun.gov
Geary.Higgins@loudoun.gov
Matt.Letourneau@loudoun.gov
Kristen.Umstattd@loudoun.gov
Koran.Saines@loudoun.gov
More information at Ammoland and
No comments:
Post a Comment