A Little Common-Sense Regulation for the Use of Air Guns

Once again air gun use, or rather misuse, has been in the news. This time two Greenlawn men, 21 and 22 years of age, were arrested after they shot a passing car and a jogger on Old Field Road. Fortunately for all involved, while the car was damaged and the jogger went to the hospital with a head wound, no one was killed. The father of one of the men said his son and his friend had been shooting the air gun "at birds or squirrels" from a second-floor window, that the pellets must have gone through the bushes, and that it had been a "stupid accident" with no intent to hurt anyone. 

Where do I begin? 

Perhaps I can start with the fact that the perpetrators are certainly old enough to know better than to play with guns or to think that it is funny or cool to shoot at birds in the yard as target practice. But that is obvious. I believe the father when he said there was no intent to harm anyone, but I hope he had a few other things to say to his son once he was no longer being scrutinized by the media. 

As a public, we are familiar with the concept that guns are weapons and must be handled responsibly and with great respect. With air guns the problem is that too many people don't view them in this light. There are several reasons for this: First, the state does not classify them as weapons; second, minors are allowed to own them; and finally, the ammunition is small caliber and seemingly innocuous. I think the jogger who received a head wound proves this last statement wrong. 

Air guns are not merely toys that can be used anywhere without any regard to the fact that they can harm, perhaps even kill someone. After all, they vary widely in velocity and power so that some air guns can be used quite effectively for hunting.

As the Chair of Public Safety, I cannot ignore the fact that it is time to set some parameters concerning air gun use. That is why I have introduced a local law to ensure the safe use of air guns in Suffolk County by prohibiting the discharge of these guns within 200 feet of any residence in the county. Violators will be subject to a penalty not to exceed $250, and that is assuming they have not actually damaged property or harmed a person in the process. 

While there is no way to legislate common sense, my air gun law is common-sense legislation. If adopted, the law will help to alert would-be air gun users that there will be consequences for the reckless use of these potential weapons. Sometimes education has to begin with enforcement.

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