Discharging Firearms
Las Vegas Weapons Crime Lawyer
In Nevada, as with any other state in the country, discharging a firearm in public can be considered a serious and dangerous criminal offense. Intending no harm or wrongdoing is not enough to defend yourself from the weapons charges that might be placed upon you.
This is due to the fact that discharging a firearm can be considered illegal due to two main definitions of the crime:
- Maliciously: Firing a gun with the explicit intent of hitting someone, destroying property, or causing intimidation in another party.
- Wantonly: Shooting a firearm with no regard for the safety of the people around you; this is considered a more dramatic form of negligence.
Even if you did not intend on hurting or scaring anyone, the shots you fired could be called “wanton” and thus describe a criminal act.
Have you been arrested for discharging a firearm unlawfully? Contact our Las Vegas criminal defense attorney from the Law Office of David R. Fischer today.
Unlawful Times to Shoot a Gun
Sometimes your behavior or intent may not be the only deciding factor as to whether or not your discharging of a firearm was illegal. In certain circumstances, where you are or where you were pointing your gun is what makes the action unlawful.
Discharging a firearm shall be considered illegal if:
- You fire it in public and not at a shooting range
- You fire it at a building or vehicle
- You fire it while within a building or vehicle
There are also times where the people around you could make the discharge unlawful. Depending on the firearm you are using, it could be considered dangerous or wanton to discharge it near minors, even if you are at a shooting range.
Penalties are Severe – Do All You Can to Challenge Them!
A single bullet fired in a malicious or wanton way is enough to hit you with a high misdemeanor charge. If convicted, you could be spending half a year in jail and paying thousands in fines and administrative fees. Finding the proper defense to your charges all starts with you taking action and calling to work with our criminal defense lawyer in Las Vegas.
Let us know what happened, schedule an appointment, and we can see about working with you today.