If your neighbor said "if you hear gunshots, don't bother calling 9-1-1 because it will be too late," would you report it to the authorities?
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jca2 (
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3 weeks ago
Just to be clear, for those who hopefully read the details, this is not about me or anything in my neighborhood.
On the news, there’s a new report of a murder/suicide in Long Island where a man killed 4 relatives and then committed suicide. He used a pump action rifle. The police, in their press conference, said that neighbors told them now that in the past, the man said “if you ever hear gunshots, don’t call police because it will be too late.” The police said that it’s not illegal to own a rifle but if he was determined to have mental issues then maybe it would have been (meaning they could have removed the weapon from his residence).
In thinking about it, I’m not sure i would have reported it. If the police ended up not removing the weapon, I’d be concerned that the man would find out somehow who reported it and seek revenge.
What do you think?
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14 Answers
Depends on the situation,how well you knew the guy if he was noticably disturbed maybe,if he was just a complainer probably not.
This would have to be determined based on how it was said and what I know about them. “Tongue in cheek” is one thing but with glimmer of truth is different.
I personally would call authorities as that person said it for a reason and it is nothing to joke about.
Depends. Here if you’re in the county, does not matter how residential, It’s legal to discharge a firearm. People do it all the time for things like pesting. In the city it’s not. Gun shots don’t get reported much here. Generally you have to know it’s a crime and be able to describe what it is to the authorities. If you just hear gunshots you have no reason to call the police. They’re also tired of the Karen’s from California making said calls when the old man down the street is just clearing squirrels with a .22.
I know when I was a union rep, one of the employees threatened his boss and after it was reported, the police went to the employee’s house and took his firearms away. He was a hunter and that’s why he had the firearms. He got them back eventually.
It really would depend on how he said it. If I thought he was joking around, no I wouldn’t report it. If he was specifically talking about killing his family when he said it, I would. Even though I despise red flag laws, I couldn’t sit by and let it happen if I truly felt it was a genuine threat/planning.
If I heard gunshots, I would call 9–1-1. It’s not legal here, and it means a life is in danger.
Yes if those exact words were said, I would. Most gun folks dont joke like that here so it would be a red flag.
That being said we are rural so gun shots are not rare. Comments like that are.
I read it as . . . call 9 – 1 – 1 for ambulance or coroner… not police. Shots may mean someone is injured or dead.
A dispatcher decides which department it should go to.
This reminds me of a time I subbed in a tiny,tiny country town. While on the playground I heard shots being fired. I was fresh out of Wichita and it freaked me out.
The kids didn’t bat an eye.
I said to one of them “Were those gunshots???!!”
Kid looks at me and says “Yeah. They’re hunting down at the river.”
Oh.
I just read that story in the NYT. What a sad, horrific thing.
I5 would depend on the demeanor of the person saying it, but it sounded like the neighbors knew how despondent he was and regretted not calling.
I’ve called the cops several times in my life for gun fire. One time I had no idea where it was at (close to the house but it was 3 in the morning), and one time there was an active shooter right across the street from my house. But this question is really about if you heard someone saying they were going to shoot somebody would you report it, if I’m not mistaken.
Yes exactly @seawulf. Their comment implies it but doesn’t specify “I’m going to shoot someone. ”
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