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City resident blames new long rifle law for bullet hole in family room window

By Howard B. Owens

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Bill Moon came home to his house on Bank Street, City of Batavia, Saturday evening to find a bullet hole in a family room window. A neighbor said he heard the shot ring out between 4 and 5 p.m.

Fortunately, Moon said, nobody was home at the time, but he blames the county's new law allowing long rifles to be used during deer season.

He said Batavia PD, a Sheriff's deputy and a Department of Environmental Conservation officer responded and agreed the shot likely came from a .30-caliber rifle, such as a .30-30 or .30-06.

The bullet passed through the family room and into the kitchen.

A spokesman for Batavia PD confirmed a complaint was filed and law enforcement responded, but said the investigation is being handled by the DEC. We were unable to reach the DEC for further information.

Photo submitted by Bill Moon.

Don Patterson

Let's see the bullet! If it went through the window and into his kitchen it should be lodged in the drywall or a kitchen cabinet of something and easily identifiable as to the caliber and type of round it was: i:e, shotgun slug or .30 cal bullet

Nov 26, 2015, 10:15pm Permalink
Scott Birkby

Many thanks to Hawley, Ranzenhofer and SCOPE. It's an idiotic idea to allow rifle hunting in an area this densely populated. With the accuracy of shotguns today, there's almost no shot that I can think of in this area that I would need a freaking rifle to make. Thanks to these Einsteins, it's only a matter of time before someone is hurt or killed. And folks aren't going to forget who pushed for this.

Nov 27, 2015, 7:54am Permalink
Dave Meyer

Scott, I completely agree with you.
Who didn't know this was going to happen??

And as far as folks around here remembering this, there will NEVER be any accountability for this or other idiotic actions by these people, because the republican lemmings in these parts keep pulling the levers for them every election.
That's what gerrymandering gets you.

Nov 27, 2015, 8:25am Permalink
Brian Graz

Two posts on here claim that a second house was also hit by a stray bullet... why wasn't/isn't this reported here?

Aside from the finger-pointing, the fact remains, deer hunting with high powered rifles now is law in Genesee County. There now are guns being used to hunt deer [which often involves shooting the target while on the run], whose bullet range distance is 3x to 5x that of a shotgun slug. The possibility [probability] that a stray bullet will hit much further from it's intended target is a sure thing. Will it happen? It already has. Will it happen often?? Let' hope not.

Accidents happen... preventable accidents are not really accidents.

Nov 28, 2015, 10:28pm Permalink
Destin Danser

This isn't something new for the county now that hunting with rifles is legal. Last year I know of at least one incident in Darien (tinkham road) where a home was struck by a stray shotgun slug, and can remember hearing of similar such incidents fairly often.

This is more an issue of irresponsible shot placement than what type of gun is used. Will a rifle round travel farther? Sure it will. But that shot should have never been taken, no matter the weapon used.

If you can't clearly see where your round will end up, then you shouldn't pull the trigger. I was taught growing up to always set your shots up so that the ground raises up behind your target, that way all it can hit is dirt, or your target (barring a ricochet or something crazy).

Unfortunately, not everyone was raised with that type of common sense.

Nov 29, 2015, 7:05am Permalink
Ed Glow

Why are some of you so adamant that this shot came from a reckless hunter? The discharge of ANY firearm within the city limits is illegal and this house is well within the city limits on all four sides. If a neighbor heard the shot then the gun was most likely fired within the city limits and it's a safe bet that a licensed deer hunter wouldn't be looking for their prize within the city limits.

The LAST thing I'd point a finger at is a stray bullet from a licensed hunter shooting at a deer at this location. Who knows... maybe an accidental discharge? Maybe some city resident doesn't feel like waiting a couple years for the city to do something about the deer eating their valuable landscaping again and since deer season is opened they decided to take matters into their own hands?

I'd be interested to hear the outcome after the investigation is completed but that follow-up thing doesn't happen much.

Nov 29, 2015, 8:06am Permalink
mike nixon

Sorry ladies and gentlemen, that doesn't look anything remotely close to a rifle hole. That is a much larger caliber hole. I would be curious, where on bank St. this was. Assuming it's city from the article, why was someone firing a shotgun. Probably a misfire or accidental discharge. Such a race to make this political.

Nov 29, 2015, 9:57am Permalink

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