Intro + Question: firearms in government parking garages

[Grendal]

Although I have browsed this website for about a month, this is my first actual post. I applied about 6-8 weeks back for my LCH and have had it for several weeks now and always carry.

I often travel up to 75 miles (1 way) to work and back each day as I do private contracting. Occasionally my contracting lands me on government property, in particular the federal buildings downtown in and around the capital.

My question is simple, how does Indiana handle firearms being left in a vehicle inside one of the Indianapolis (government) parking garages?

I do not want to be in Indianapolis, especially when not in a government building without my firearm, but by no means do I want to risk breaking some federal law by leaving it in my car if that is actually a felony of some kind. Obviously I can skirt the rule by just parking at a parking meter, but I would like to avoid having to pay $10.00+ a day and make several trips to feed a meter at "random locations" just so that I can have access to my firearm when not in the government district.

Thoughts...?

- Grendal

 

[Joniki]

Welcome aboard.

Look here: http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/indiana.pdf

 

[Grendal]

Thank you Joniki, and I did look there but was still uncertain after reading most of the document in its entirety as to what the answer actually was.

I know if this were a private business or any kind I would be well within my rights to do so, and I am inclined to believe I am "probably" within my rights to do so in this case. The part that confuses me is that this is a "government building" in that it is a parking garage that requires "badge" to enter.

Another side question I have is would I be able to exit parking garage "on foot" with firearm, say for example I decided to go for a walk down town or go to lunch somewhere not on the property, or would I be required to drive out of the facility before doing so?

Thanks,

- Grendal

 

[rockhopper46038]

Hmm. Can you name the garage for us? If it is a State owned garage then there is no legal prohibition against keeping your firearm in your car or being armed while walking to or from your car inside the garage. However, there may or may not (probably NOT) be some specific anomaly to the law for a particular garage, so to be safe it would be useful to know which garage(s) you are referring to.

 

[Joniki]

Two more that might help.

Gun Laws By State

IN Gun Law FAQ

Personally, I would ask one of the officers at the federal building.

 

[Grendal]

A quick picture indicating what garages and overland parking areas that I have access to. I am specifically speaking of the garages and parking areas that are immediately adjacent and part of our state capital government facilities downtown.

Yellow X: represents garages/lots I have access to park in.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I know that I'd be interested in the nuances of the State parking garages downtown. Specifically the one at West/Senate/Ohio and the one at West/Missouri/Washington/Maryland.

 

[rockhopper46038]

I don't want to steer you wrong, OP. The law is clear that free standing public or State owned/leased parking lots are not "gun free" zones. A parking structure or lot owned or leased wholly by the Federal government might be considered Federal property for the purposes of Federal law, but then again the Federal prohibition against firearms on Federal Post Office parking lot property was just ruled out of law. And there is the exemption to the Federal law that states "lawful purpose" is exempted that I frankly don't know if there is any case law about. I personally would say that since none of those parking lots you marked are on Federal property, nor are they leased by the Federal government exclusively, you would be perfectly within your rights to secure your personal weapon inside, and you would be perfectly within your rights to traverse the lot carrying your personal weapon.

 

[88GT]

I don't want to steer you wrong, OP. The law is clear that free standing public or State owned/leased parking lots are not "gun free" zones. A parking structure or lot owned or leased wholly by the Federal government might be considered Federal property for the purposes of Federal law, but then again the Federal prohibition against firearms on Federal Post Office parking lot property was just ruled out of law. And there is the exemption to the Federal law that states "lawful purpose" is exempted that I frankly don't know if there is any case law about. I personally would say that since none of those parking lots you marked are on Federal property, nor are they leased by the Federal government exclusively, you would be perfectly within your rights to secure your personal weapon inside, and you would be perfectly within your rights to traverse the lot carrying your personal weapon.

[STRIKE]Oooh, do you have a link to that?[/STRIKE]

NM, found one.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

To add what rockhopper just said:

Even if a property IS wholly owned or leased by the Federal Government...it can depend.

A National Park parking lot is a whole other ballgame when compared to a prison parking lot.

In Indy, I don't think the Federal Buildings have "their own" parking lots exclusively.

 

[Grendal]

To add what rockhopper just said:

Even if a property IS wholly owned or leased by the Federal Government...it can depend.

A National Park parking lot is a whole other ballgame when compared to a prison parking lot.

In Indy, I don't think the Federal Buildings have "their own" parking lots exclusively.

I could be wrong, but I believe they do have their own parking lots. The garages we park in are for state employees only, they have the state seals on the entrance and are built with the same construction material as the buildings themselves (i.e. they look like they are government buildings around them).

- Grendal

 

[rockhopper46038]

You may have answered your own question, OP. If they are State lots, you are good to go.