My Neighbor is Shooting at My House

[Moonshadow]

THERE IS A BULLET HOLE IN THE CEMENT, RIGHT OUTSIDE MY BACK DOOR!


Yes! I'm shouting! I'm screaming! I'm terrified!

We have had to put up with our creepy neighbors firing guns for 2 years. Last Wednesday, around dusk, I heard someone shooting a semi-automatic weapon from their property. Thursday, I found the hole in the cement.

Now, whenever I go outside, I feel like someone's watching me through the scope of a gun.

I don't want to let my kids or animals outside, I'm afraid to hang laundry on the clothesline, I'm terrified to work in the garden, which is even more exposed.

It's totally triggered me, and now I can't function. I have way too much to do to shut down now! They're things I want to do, like tend my garden and enjoy the warm air.

THEIR SHOOTING AGAIN RIGHT NOW!
I think I'm having a panic attack.

[sisu]

Call the police. You have evidence of the bullet hole in your house. People can't just go off shooting guns for fun anywhere they want. Its against the law. Be careful!

Sisu :eek:

[linasmom]

Moonshadow,

Call the police! Your house is not attached to a shooting range, that behavior is totally unacceptable.

Best,
Rachel

[Lucky Laser]

I'll third that... call the police!

[captrn1]

Call police ayup!!!!!!

Glad its not me because I would be outside playing the game.....

[Seeking_Nirvana]

If you happen to have a video recorder I would tape them shooting at your house as evidence. That could be considered attempted murder since there are people in the house.

I think it's B/S that you have to put up with it, and I'm about ready to come there and take care of it myself if the police dont.

Tammy

[pandora]

Did you call? I hope you are ok......

[madjon]

calling the cops is a good idea, what they are upto is not only dangerous but also in most places against the law, firing guns in a built up area is illegal in most places, damage to property is the least of the considerations though, what goes up comes down and the average assault rifle will happily put a bullet through a wall and is deadly upto a mile, call the cops and get them dealt with, they are idiots with a death wish.

[Moonshadow]

Everybody's OK, here. Thanks, everyone for your concern.

We spoke to several officers from the sheriff's department, and they spoke to the neighbors who were shooting.

Nothing really happened, except to alert the neighbors that there is a problem with their 18 year old son, who was the one doing the shooting. Apparently, this kid's a cocky, surly jerk, and nobody has anything good to say about him.

Not much to make me feel any safer. The Sergeant told me that it's perfectly legal for people to fire guns in this state, and there's not much I can do, unless I find him actively shooting at me.

Well, he hides in the trees, so I can't see where he is. I don't know if more than one bullet has come toward my house, but one is enough for me to feel afraid.

I'm finding myself aware of every car that drives by, and I'm jumping at every noise. I hope I can feel safe again.

I'm completely exhausted today, after the intense stress of yesterday.

[cactus_jack]

Why are your neighbors so hateful?

[Awakening]

Well I'm glad to hear everyone is okay.

I don't mean to start any controversy here, so I'm mindful of being sensitive.

But it really amazes me about people having guns. It scares me too, probably because I've never seen one except in a policeman's holster.

I don't have an opinion on it because I know nothing about it.

But yeah it seems weird being in Australia that your neighbour could have a gun. I associate guns with the army & police force only.

[Seeking_Nirvana]

I can't understand how that boy can get away with shooting at your house because it's perfectly legal to shoot a gun where you live?

Please try and get him on video tape shooting at your house. That is different than just firing a gun into an empty field. If he is shooting at your house how do the cops or anyone know what his intentions are? People can't just go around firing guns at houses. Where I live that's called "drive by shootings" and people go to prison for it.

I would go to the courthouse and get some type of order of protection stating he can't fire the gun toward your house. Or call an attorney to find out your legal standing on this.

Tammy

[Moonshadow]

I live in a rural area of Wisconsin. Gun laws are minimal. It is not legal for them to shoot at my house. Unless I see them shooting at me, or have proof that he is intentionally firing at my house, there's not much I can do.

My neighbor is not right next door. There is a large cornfield between our properties, and their house is behind a block of trees. It is nearly impossible for me to see them hiding in the trees.

Unless somebody gets shot, or I have proof of more shots hitting my property, I have little recourse.

I've told my kids that they need to come inside, if they hear gunshots (without panicking). I seriously doubt that any of our neighbors would actually try to shoot us. Especially since the sheriff has already been alerted to the problem.

I don't even know what the neighbors' problem is. Ever since they moved in 2 years ago, they've driven by on their ATV, glaring at us.

Last year, the Dad of the house (falling down drunk) started mowing the grass on our property, at 11 o'clock at night. When my husband went out to talk to him, the guy was very hostile and belligerent.

I am going to have to swallow my fear and try to live my life normally. I will not let them scare me away from my garden or my backyard, or anything else that brings me joy, on my own property.

With so many shitty people in the world, I make no apologies for my anti-social tendencies.

[Jetto]

Horse shit.
Wisconsin 'State Law'
Possession of a firearm while intoxicated, shooting within 100 yards of a home without permission, pointing a weapon at anyone except in self-defense, and negligent handling of a weapon are all outlawed. Statute 941.20
File a complaint with the sheriffs office, speak to who ever is in charge. Tell them you feel threatened and if you have to, you've visually seen them fire weapons at your house while intoxicated or whatever. If that doesn't work, speak with the local news people, they have nothing better to do half the time and love little stories about negligent police officers/shitty neighbors.
If anything move the hell out cause sooner or later you or someone in your family is going to get hurt or killed by these idiots and if your town is as hillbilly as you say, it's going to be considered an accident.

[Moonshadow]

Most of June had been quiet, free of gunfire, but the last 2 weeks has sounded like a war zone.
My asshole neighbors have been firing 100+ shots each day.
They shoot from all over their 2 acre parcel.
I'm afraid to go out and hang my laundry on the line. I do not feel safe to be outside.
I've had so many panic attacks, I've lost count.
I feel scared, sick and drained.
The sheriff's department has done/will do nothing.
I kind of lost it, during a panic attack today, and started screaming.
Now, my throat hurts, and I've lost my voice. But then, I guess I never really had a voice in the first place, where this is concerned, .

I really hate living here.

[hodge]

OMG, Moonshadow!!!

I haven't been able to read this entire thread, but could you get a restraining order? Don't bullets count as much as people as far as getting that close to you???

What is wrong with these people????

I'm sorry, I wish I could offer helpful suggestions. I would feel the same way you do. It's awful that you're going through this madness. Who's above the sheriff in your jurisdiction? Can you get a lawyer? Of course, though, I know taking action could make them angry, but, jeez, this is intolerable. Isn't there a shooting range they could go to? Most rural areas have one. Maybe they won't let the jerks in?

[Moonshadow]

They wouldn't bother going to a shooting range, when they can legally shoot on their property. They couldn't care less, who they disturb.

I don't know who's above the sheriff, around here, so we're thinking we'll have to talk to a lawyer. We would have to file a civil suit, and hope that a jury will side with us. Unfortunately, this area is filled with redneck hicks, who would most likely side with the gun-happy hillbillies.

The thing that is really surprising, is that ammo is not cheap, and they're shooting A LOT. These people are not "well-off", by any means, so I cannot understand why they're blowing so much money on bullets (or shot).

I know this would be nerve-racking, to anyone, but it's debilitating, to me.

The optimist in me wants to think that their house is being foreclosed on, and they're trying to use up their ammo before they have to vacate.

The paranoid me is afraid that they're doing it to drive me crazy.
It's a short trip, and I'm nearly there.

[Auburngirl]

this is completely insane. Here you can complain about neighbours playing music too loudly and having disrupting parties. It seems to me that firing more than one hundred shots a day is loud disruptive behaviour (not to mention dangerous!).

And surely they aren't allowed to deposit or throw anything onto your property (including bullets?).

I can't believe you have to live with this. It sounds horrible.

[hodge]

I think Jetto's on to something about getting the media involved. Are you anywhere near a larger city, i.e., one with a daily newspaper and at least one local TV news station and where, preferably, a saner attitude exists?

We're in a small, small town with one weekly paper. When a few of us were involved in a messy public situation some time ago, we informed the editor of the daily newspaper in the closest larger town, who followed the story and wrote editorials in our favor. Who knows but that the media attention may even have had a positive effect on some locals' attitudes on the issue. Send me a PM if you'd like more details.

[Moonshadow]

Thanks, Hodge. I live in western Wisconsin, and there are regional media outlets, but we live in a very rural area. I tried talking to the newspaper, but they had no interest.

We live near a very gossipy, tiny town (it's actually a "village"). I've taken it on myself to tell everybody I possibly can about the problem. If nothing else, perhaps I can get them shunned by the town.