Just what we need as a society. More disincentives to take responsibility and help your fellow man, or child, in this case. DC has some of the nation's most draconian gun laws and also one of the highest murder and crime rates. Givne the choice between vioilating the gun law and having no means to protect themselves, many kept guns in their homes anyway. The word on the street has always been that the police look the other way if you used one to repel a criminal. Guess that doesn't extend to protecting a child. ************************************ D.C. man who shot dogs biting boy could face charges City wants to know if gun he used was legal - The Washington Times Wednesday, January 23, 2013 D.C. police are investigating whether a man will face criminal charges for shooting a pit bull that was attacking a child in his neighborhood. The incident unfolded Sunday afternoon, after three pit bulls attacked an 11-year-old boy as he rode his bicycle through the Brightwood neighborhood of Northwest, according to a police report. When the man, a neighbor, saw the boy being mauled by the dogs, he went inside his home and got a gun. The man killed one of the dogs. The gunfire attracted the attention of a police officer in the area near Eighth and Sheridan streets, where the attack occurred. The officer responded and shot the other two pit bulls as they continued to attack the boy. The police report, which did not identify any of the people involved, said the boy suffered severe lacerations. The Washington Post, which first reported the details of the shooting, quoted the boyâs uncle as saying the boy was also shot in the foot. Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump said Wednesday that the entire case, including whether the man legally owned the gun he used to kill the dog, is under investigation. While public opinion might be supportive of the manâs actions, he could still face significant charges depending on the outcome of the investigation, criminal defense attorney Daniel Gross said. âIâve seen cases where people used weapons in defense of others, but the U.S. attorneyâs office is not always so understanding,â said Mr. Gross, who represents many clients charged with firearms-related crimes in the District. âThere are certain defenses one could try, like self-defense or defense of others, but that wouldnât really go to whether they charge you.â The man could face a host of charges depending on the specifics of the case, including whether the gun used is a registered firearm that the man was legally permitted to own, Mr. Gross said. Possession of an unregistered firearm or ammunition is punishable by up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine, and determining whether the man legally possessed the gun used will likely have greater bearing on the way the case is handled, Mr. Gross said. Low-level unregistered firearms and ammunitions charges generally are prosecuted by the D.C. office of the attorney general, but additional charges could mean the case is bumped up to the U.S. attorneyâs office. âIn this case, it would likely be the U.S. attorneyâs office, and their discretion is sometimes less than local prosecutors,â Mr. Gross said. Also to be taken into consideration is whether the man was within his property line when he fired the weapon â a small but significant distinction. Mr. Gross said it could mean the difference in whether he could be charged with carrying a pistol without a license. Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...-biting-boy-could-face-charges/#ixzz2IuEViexU Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
In a society that expels 5 year olds for having paper gun, what do you expect? On the other hand I suggest he uses the tactics of the radical left in his defense. Just as illegal aliens are no longer illegal, they're just undocumented, this guy didn't break any laws not having a licensed weapon. He's just an unlicensed gun owner with an unregistered gun. "Un" makes everything OK and perfectly legal.