You make it sound like he just started firing in random directions given your lack of specifics for how exactly the firearm was discharged. Here is the problem I have with the above: Folks think that if one isn't at a shooting range, any discharge of a bullet that doesn't strike the target (ie: Dog, bad guy) is automatically looked upon as dangerous. Please. The laws of physics are what they are. I usually have a gun on me when I'm out in my yard cutting/moving wood. I've had a few dogs come around, none attacked me. I mostly carry my gun because I have neighbors a few doors down that have two pit bulls, and they manage to get loose every so often. Then have never shown violence towards me, but they have been "rough" with smaller dogs, and they obviously don't behave as the owner has to run down the road after them, and they don't obey any of her commands.
I don't get this "if you fear for your life, shoot that which is causing fear." logic. Some folks act like warning shots into the dirt are the exact same as blasting off a full mag in all directions. When I go to the range, I shoot into dirt. Why is it considered so horrible to shoot into the ground? If a dog attacks me, it likely will get shot, if it is not really in what I call full attack mode, but showing agression, I think it is fine to try and scare the dog away and end the threat. My backyard is dirt, not a cement slab, not stone. If I were to fire a bullet to try and scare away a dog getting in my personal space, not attacking, but showing some serious agression, I might fire into the ground, hope the dog takes off, and end up with a bullet under the surface of my yard. There is a .00000000000000000001% chance that yea, the bullet might strike a rock 1mm under the dirt causing a piece of the copper jacket to fly off, go through my neighbors window, and strike him in the eye. The fact is, I doubt there is even that high of a %.
If what LS says is true, that he pulled the gun, turned around, and fired directly into the dirt...who cares if it was in a "residential neighborhood" or "children were coming home from school." We had a person take a safe shot into a material he knew would stop the bullet in a safe manner. He didn't just say "hey, I'm gonna go out and shoot into the dirt" for no reason. I would be more worried about a person who lives in one of those vinyl village homes taking a fully justified shot at a home invader than I would be with what LS did. Some of those homes you can open your window reach out, and hand stuff to your neighbor in their home. Imagine a miss that goes through a window into the home next door. Imagine someone whose only means of home defense is a .308 hunting rifle.
The fear of "what ifs..." is getting out-of-control. We now have a society that is fearful of anything and everything that the state tells them to fear. Never fear that there is seriously a 1-in-a-billion chance of some of these "dangers" actually causing any danger.
I am a firm believer in being responsible. If LS had just went out shooting on his land in such an area, then yea, ticket him. If LS had fired a shot in the air, or through the air, I would back the officer. However, since LS was being attacked, and he seems to have done what was need to ensure shooting in a safe distraction to scare the dog and stop the attack, I don't see an issue here.
Incidents like this just further the divide between LE and the people. More and more, people don't want to call the cops unless they basically need someone with a gun to show up and engage a violent person. It is why we have plenty of folks here who just want to lie to cops about having a legal handgun in their possession, and definately don't want to offer up that information. Seems to be more and more folks are just viewing officers as the absolute when it comes to the law and how things should be dealt with, and if the LEO disagrees with you, you are screwed.
to hit the fan and get it over with.
