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Pellet Gun Laws in Las Vegas, NV neighborhood

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LeaJC

New member
Nevada

I live in a middle-class suburban tract home, non-HOA community, where all single story single family homes are each separated by standard concrete wall blocks approx 6 ft high dividing properties of approx 5,500 sq ft land with homes approx 1900 sq ft.
The neighbor's home directly behind my home has a lower elevation of approx 4-5 ft.

This neighbor has constructed some sort of homemade target shooting box contraption out of lumber wood to replace previously used cardboard boxes that he has now built and attached to his side of the wall directly against my side of the wall.

He has been shooting some sort of 4.5 mm metal pellets from an unseen rifle or gun from within his home through an open sliding glass door which he has cut out a large hole in the screen. I assume these pellets are lead from the color, look, feel and size based on internet searches I've conducted that I matched pellet images both new and fired.

The problem is these pellets are fired nearly every day of the week (approximately at the same hour each day, as well) towards my backyard actually landing in my property on the patio, in the grass and in my swimming pool. I have collected many of these pellets to inspect as we are barefoot in the pool and get them in our feet as well as finding them on the cement near the common wall and in our pool filters. I have witnessed two injured potentially diseased pigeons in my backyard unable to fly and suffer trying to escape my front gates. Though I don't like the rampant pigeon infestation and property damage Las Vegas has long endured, I do know that the stray "bullet" type elimination strategy is, at the very least, a risky and unhealthy method of slaughtering these undesirable pests.

I recently took my 13 pound dog to the vet when I saw her run wildly scared into my home after a 3 minute potty break appearing injured as she was licking a bloody part of her body with what appeared upon my inspection to be the shape and size pattern of a "hit" that came with such an impact to damage through her hair, pierce her skin, bleed and leave a mark consistent with these pellet's unique imprint. The vet performed an X-Ray and concluded, in fact, appeared to be a wound from a fired weapon but that the pellet was not inside her. If it had been he would need to perform surgery to remove it and determine if she had been exposed to lead. This was something not unusual to his knowledge and expertise. Incidentally, she was treated with prescribed antibiotics and recovered well.

My 16 year old son was "dinged" by one of these pellets last week, thankfully uninjured, so I finally decided to call the police out of fear of problems escalating. I called the non-emergency number immediately.

I have become increasingly afraid and at unrest with the likely potential damage and/or injury to myself, my two children, two small dogs, my husband, my other backyard loving young family next door neighbors, as well as the many family and friends we entertain at our home, in our yard and pool.

The problem has become more worrisome and frustrating because when the police finally arrived at 5:00 pm after my 10:00 am call that day, the response was less than encouraging and became worse when I called them again this morning with their arrival at 3:00 pm. Basically, from both officer visits it seems to have be reduced as a "no big deal they can do what they like in their home and we haven't any witness of the gun or guns shot or his hand on guns, injured people (yet), dead pigeons, bones (yes! really the second officer said this!) so we'll just knock on his door (which is impossible due to an enclosed locked exterior gate 15 ft or so before the front door is approachable) and just have a 'neighborly chat' with him". Although, I have recorded video with sounds of the shots firing, photos of his homemade insufficient cardboard box targets, construction of the "newer and improved" wood target traps, the cut-out hole in his screen, the pellets all over my property, the countless visitors inquiring of the source of the "whip-like" shot sounds coming from the backyard of the home directly behind me! The second officer even proposed for my consideration that these "strange events" may just as likely be coming from my other neighbors to the left or right of my home with absolutely NO suggestive or potentially incriminating circumstantial fathomable idea that could remotely suggest this illogical possibility! What I have documented is apparently a considerably LESS hypothetical estimation. Incidentally, I have not expressed any of this with my other neighbors for obvious reasons of simple deduction.

For myself and the safety of all concerned, it is absolutely impossible for myself or any of my neighbors to be in direct contact with this "gentleman" of any sort I am unaware of his well-being, state of mind, disposition or motivation; let alone the possible repercussions or retaliation that we could be subjected, particularly as Metro PD is not responding as I had expected.

I purchased my home in a nice neighborhood and raised my children here since 2003. I'm NOT going anywhere. I want his conduct stopped. And there is a legal basis for my attempts. I absolutely want and expect his behavior to abruptly cease without any direct attempt from me or interested parties with this careless homeowner.
I have learned that this is in violation of several laws in Clark County Nevada, Las Vegas. I directly told the officers I was knowledgeable about the Nevada Revised Statutes as it pertains to this "nonintentional, however negligent violation", if not more. Many potential offenses are outlined in the NRS Chapter 202 that this un-neighborly neighbor is committing and I cannot tolerate his actions unaddressed until someone or more property become injured, lead poisoned or much worse.

In the case of the miserable pigeons, the NRS Chapter is 574. Perhaps pigeons are not covered under any protection even though they also pose a health threat, foul elimination, nesting and property damage problems. Furthermore, I hope he is not trapping to injure or kill pigeons for personal BBQ consumption, sale or distribution, as in my study I found it is a delicacy of some sort in "illegal under gound restaurants" and cultures. Peww!

Please kindly advise.

Frustrated homeowner,
Lea Calicich
 


Taxing Matters

Overtaxed Member
Nevada
Please kindly advise.
I'm always a bit amazed that folks with problems like this with their neighbors don't actually talk TO the neighbor about it and try to resolve the problem. Often if you approach people with the problem in a nonconfrontational way you can work out some solution that solves the problem without resorting to legal action. If you have not talked to this neighbor, that's where I would start. He or she may not realize that the pellets are straying into your yard and that your dog was injured by one and your kid nearly injured. He may also not appreciate how aggravating it is for you to find these pellets in your yard. Reminding the neighbor that he would be liable for such injuries might motivate him to change what he is doing. But if his attitude is that he doesn't care and continues to do it anyway, at least you tried and you would have put him on notice that you find this a problem.

After doing that is when I would approach the police. As Jack says, if the police won't act, you can also try the District Attorney's office directly. It is ultimately the DA that decides what charges are brought. If what the guy is doing involves a city building code violation of any kind, report that to the code enforcement office.

And you have the option to sue the neighbor for an injunction preventing him from shooting the pellets into your yard and to sue for any damages he causes from this activity.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
Sorry, but this IS a low priority call. This is clearly a bottom priority as evidenced by their significantly delayed response time.

Unless they can witness the pellet gun being fired, gain an admission, or you can manage to get a legal video of a criminal act, there's not likely much the PD can do. As for calling the DA directly, they are simply not going to investigate this low level of an offense and will, instead, refer you back to the police. You can call the DA's office, but don't expect anything.

In Clark County the offense is a misdemeanor pursuant to the municipal code and a defendant is subject to a fine of from $100 up to $500 and/or up to 6 months in jail, and in Las Vegas the fine can be up to $1,000 (in conjunction with the possible jail time). Though, the first step would be a police report.

As TM suggested, it might be of some benefit to actually talk to the neighbor. If you are for some reason afraid of this man, then you may have to continue to go about your life as you have before - at least until the police catch him in the act. As a last resort, as suggested, you might consider an injunction or a civil suit, though a civil suit would generally require actual damages for which you are seeking compensation.

There is nothing you can do to FORCE the LVMPD or Sheriff's Department (depending on where you actually live) to do anything at all. You can always call and complain to a supervisor and work your way up the food chain, but that does not change the fact that law enforcement will not consider this a high priority event, and it still has to be actually witnessed. If they get enough calls, they may finally act on something. Or, alternatively, the neighbor may get tired of the cops coming to knock on his door. Who knows?
 

quincy

Senior Member
If your local police are unwilling to assist, you can sue your neighbor for the veterinarian costs you incurred when your dog was shot (X-ray, antibiotics, exam).

Although the amount involved might not be worth pursuing ordinarily, the civil action might direct your neighbor's attention to the problem he is creating with his pellet gun.

Making the neighbor aware that an injury to one of your children could result in greater costs to him than what it cost to treat your dog might encourage him to stop the random shooting.

Another option is to contact your local media (do you have a "call for action team" in your area?) and have them focus on the problem.

Good luck.
 

not2cleverRed

Obvious Observer
You could try getting him to cover your vet bill for the dog's treatment.

You could also try sending a "cease and desist" letter, citing your son's injury - it has no real weight, but informs the neighbor that there is a problem.
 

quincy

Senior Member
A cease and desist letter is a good idea.

A cease and desist letter is more effective if sent by an attorney on attorney letterhead. In this way it not only informs the recipient that there a problem that needs addressing, it also tells the recipient that an attorney has already been contacted and a legal action is being considered.

This could intimidate the neighbor enough to make him halt his shooting or, at the very least, be more careful where he aims.
 

xylene

Senior Member
I have not expressed any of this with my other neighbors for obvious reasons of simple deduction.
Maybe, maybe you should discuss this with your other adjacent neighbors. Perhaps they are displease by this situation and a group of people with a concern might be more taken seriously.

I took the liberty of looking up aerial photos, and I can see the 'backstop' - these are not large yards suited to air guns. I can see how intolerable this would be.

You need to keep banging the gong on this and you should you at the very least expect to have no ammo wind up on your property, let alone stray or worse still intentional shots over or at your property.
 

LeaJC

New member
Thank you for all the quick responses and advice. As I type now my pellet shooting neighbor is at it again with his newly erected target box and I'm watching all these broken pieces flying around his yard as they bounce off or out of it.
 

xylene

Senior Member
Thank you for all the quick responses and advice. As I type now my pellet shooting neighbor is at it again with his newly erected target box and I'm watching all these broken pieces flying around his yard as they bounce off or out of it.
This would be the perfect opportunity to call out:

"HEY! Hey buddy! Neighbor! Do you know your pellets and richocets are winding up in my yard! You hit my dog and my kid. You wanna knock it off? How bout you knock it off."
 

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