Kentucky man shoots down drone and gets arrested

[Brainonska511]

Probably not prison time, but if the felony conviction holds up, no more guns for him. If he were smart he should find a way to make his guns *disappear* now.

So that he can get an obstruction of justice charge?

 

[her209]

Pretty soon, kites will be banned.

 

[Darwin333]

Not denying. Just saying he could have had denial....except for the 12 ga.:\


Otherwise, if it's flying in my backyard, open season.

At over 200 feet and just passing over to get to another destination? That's just a dick move.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

So that he can get an obstruction of justice charge?

The existence of the shotgun, and other weapons he might own has already been documented, so there could be no obstruction charge, if he were to claim he sold, or lost them in a boating accident when they come to confiscate his weapons, *AFTER* a felony conviction is upheld.

 

[rommelrommel]

What's with all these paranoid people? Unless I drive to a field, or park somewhere, I just fly around my neighborhood, and I'm always over someone else's property. Mind you, I said over, at no less than 100 feet. I would never drop into someones back yard, that's just plain wrong, and kinda creepy, and I would expect complaints or worse. In my area there is hardly any lot larger than 1/4 acre. Trust me, you got nothin I need pictures of, (I doubt this mans daughter was by the pool naked). A GoPro will take a fairly decent picture at 20 feet or LESS, but they are really designed for fish eye panoramic views. At 150 feet plus there really isn't much in the way of *details*. :whiste:
If I really wanted a live action perve fix, I could simply drive to the beach, and sit on the boardwalk, plenty of girls able, and*willing*to put on a show:biggrin:
Soooo, put down the shotgun, and walk away.
"spying on you?" srsly?

I still think that you should stick to your own property or public lands. Drone enthusiasts are just going to get regulations passed to ban it if they keep overflying people's homes.

 

[waggy]

after watching the video of the guy flying it. I changed my stance. the drone was not even over his house seconds and above 200 ft. I agree with the charges.

 

[CitizenKain]

The existence of the shotgun, and other weapons he might own has already been documented, so there could be no obstruction charge, if he were to claim he sold, or lost them in a boating accident when they come to confiscate his weapons, *AFTER* a felony conviction is upheld.

Someone like the redneck idiot shouldn't be allowed to own guns. He is simply too stupid for the privilege.

 

[NesuD]

If this new information is correct I'll change my mind about the shooter. If the drone was 200ft up then the home owner is definitely in the wrong.

It's still stupid to shoot at a drone but at least it's understandable if it's hovering at one of your windows. 200ft above the house not so much.

I guess will need to see how this plays out.

200 ft shot with #8 birdshot? I won't say it is impossible but that is nearly 70 yards. I have serious doubts about that claim. Video from the drone proves nothing. Most compact digital cameras that would be used make everything look farther away than it really is. Don't believe me get yourself a compact little dashcam and you will see what I mean.

 

[NoCreativity]

272ft shot with #8 birdshot? I won't say it is impossible but that is nearly 90 yards. I have serious doubts about that claim. Video from the drone proves nothing. Most compact digital cameras that would be used make everything look farther away than it really is. Don't believe me get yourself a compact little dashcam and you will see what I mean.

FTFY.

According to the video the drone was over the "drone slayer's" house for less than 2 seconds. Was the shooter just sitting outside his house with his gun waiting for the <2 second pass?

 

[Ackmed]

Apparently it was flying over his daughters while they were sunbathing.

-William H. Merideth, 47, shot down the $1,800 drone after being alerted by by his two daughters
-Another neighbor has told how it was hovering over her 16-year-old daughter too
-The owner of the drone claims he was only trying to take pictures of a friend's house
-Merideth has been charged with first-degree criminal mischief and first-degree wanton endangerment for shooting the gadget
-The FAA is still scrambling to design rules about drone use and control

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...house-arrested-charged-criminal-mischief.html

Anyone who shoots knows it is near impossible to make that shot. The claim of being that far away seems pretty flimsy to me.

 

[HumblePie]

So the guy either had time to get a shotgun and have it loaded with birdshot in the few seconds the drone was over head, aim, fire, and take it down from 90 yards? And the drone was recovered in his yard somehow...

Yah smelling bullshit there.

 

[Brovane]

The actual drone itself should have flight logs that will show how high it was. From a private property perspective you don't own the air above your house. That means the homeowner was shooting at the drone while it was in public airspace. So even if he was at 100 feet, shooting it down wasn't legal. Hopefully somebody will pull the flight logs and we can get some more accurate information.

 

[davmat787]

Ruger 1000fps pellet rifle would have made this a lot more fun. And he could have walked away.

Hey, Mike, your better half isn't going to let you go to taco bell.

Just sayin'.

Ruger... For an adult class air rifle? Beeman all the way man, Beeman Crow Magnum of you're lucky enough to find one. Beeman has been the boss for adult level air rifles and pistols forever.

Beeman had models putting out .22 and .25 caliber pellets via break barrel and side lever at the same muzzle velocity as a .22 rimfire decades ago, long before firearm manufacturers slapped their name on something they didn't engineer. Beeman also makes the most consistent and quality ammo I've ever used, from extremely light to extremely heavy and in all sorts of types.

Just saying!

This is the Beeman .20 I've been wanting, but an AR-10 build has precedent.

http://www.airgunwarehouseinc.com/py-2277-4562.html

 

[highland145]

My kid's 14...12 when he got it.

Not disagreeing with you though.

 

[davmat787]

My kid's 14...12 when he got it.

Not disagreeing with you though.

Great way to start off your kid with learning gun safety and responsibility. I'm just jealous that their wasn't all these inexpensive yet quality air rifles like the rugers and gamos when I was a kid. It was either cheap daisys or crossmans or expensive Beemans. Sheridan was nearly impossible to find too.

Happy shooting to you and your kid, air rifles are underrated!

PS: if you are in farm country your kid could earn some side money doing pest control of invasive species, plenty of videos on YouTube of people doing just that.

 

[highland145]

Great way to start off your kid with learning gun safety and responsibility. I'm just jealous that their wasn't all these inexpensive yet quality air rifles like the rugers and gamos when I was a kid. It was either cheap daisys or crossmans or expensive Beemans. Sheridan was nearly impossible to find too.

Happy shooting to you and your kid, air rifles are underrated!

Hell, we were not responsible 16 y.o.s Everything was fair game. We had bb gun wars against each other...

I still have my crossman bb gun (350fps?) from 30+ years ago and it's still fairly accurate. Think I paid $16 for it. Times were different but I'd have been locked up with a 1kfps weapon.

 

[davmat787]

Hell, we were not responsible 16 y.o.s Everything was fair game. We had bb gun wars against each other...

I had a Daisy 850 I believe is the model, under lever pneumatic multi pump that did up to 750fps in .177 iirc. Had a reservoir for bbs that fed when you pulled the bolt back or you could single feed pellets. Still see it sold at big box stores.

I still have my crossman bb gun (350fps?) from 30+ years ago and it's still fairly accurate. Think I paid $16 for it. Times were different but I'd have been locked up with a 1kfps weapon.

BB gun wars from 30+ years ago! You aren't my long lost childhood friend Jason by chance? That brought back memories, can't believe none of us kids lost an eye lol.

I was fortunate enough to have something like 100 acres of woods as a backyard growing up, and a father who always made sure I had a good knife and air rifle and the trust in me to go be a young boy in the woods even at age 8. So many forts built and trails blazed. Just last week I was thinking about just this and had to thank my father for letting me have that kind of childhood.

I still think back to those days 30+ years later, could not have asked for anything more.

Of course when I was early teens we had to push the envelope, lets just say removing powder from fireworks and filling empty Co2 cartridges with it and adding a fuse makes one hell of a ied. The shrapnel is crazy and I can't believe we all have our fingers and aren't on some ATF list, no way a kid could get away with those shenanigans today lol.

 

[highland145]

BB gun wars from 30+ years ago! You aren't my long lost childhood friend Jason by chance? That brought back memories, can't believe none of us kids lost an eye lol.

I was fortunate enough to have something like 100 acres of woods as a backyard growing up, and a father who always made sure I had a good knife and air rifle and the trust in me to go be a young boy in the woods even at age 8. So many forts built and trails blazed. Just last week I was thinking about just this and had to thank my father for letting me have that kind of childhood.

I still think back to those days 30+ years later, could not have asked for anything more.

Of course when I was early teens we had to push the envelope, lets just say removing powder from fireworks and filling empty Co2 cartridges with it and adding a fuse makes one hell of a ied. The shrapnel is crazy and I can't believe we all have our fingers and aren't on some ATF list, no way a kid could get away with those shenanigans today lol.

lol Your Dad would have been locked up today.

Crap, mid July, 95 degrees and we're wearing our winter coats/gloves. We did have "eye protection"......good times.

One of my friends bro's would pour hydrogen peroxide and alcohol(?) down fire ant mounds and light them off. Too bad I hated chemistry.

 

[highland145]

At over 200 feet and just passing over to get to another destination? That's just a dick move.

Well, this is P&N.

 

[davmat787]

lol Your Dad would have been locked up today.

Crap, mid July, 95 degrees and we're wearing our winter coats/gloves. We did have "eye protection"......good times.

One of my friends bro's would pour hydrogen peroxide and alcohol(?) down fire ant mounds and light them off. Too bad I hated chemistry.

Agreed but I think it's a sad reflection of the times when the idea of a parent letting their boy go crazy in the woods is considered bad or poor parenting.

These stories of parents being contacted by police or social services for letting their kid walk to school alone or with friends makes me so sad.

And statistically today's kids are so much safer than our days decades ago.

 

[highland145]

Brother from a different Mother.

 

[davmat787]

Brother from a different Mother.

I'd love to learn the reasons and psychology behind this change in parenting style and expectations. Kids won't turn out as balanced and adjusted like this and the additional stress on parents can't be good either.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane that put a needed smile on my face.

 

[highland145]

I'd love to learn the reasons and psychology behind this change in parenting style and expectations. Kids won't turn out as balanced and adjusted like this and the additional stress on parents can't be good either.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane that put a needed smile on my face.

libtard

Enjoyed the exchange also.

 

[davmat787]

libtard

Enjoyed the exchange also.

Enjoy and cherish the time shooting with your kid and spending time outdoors together, it goes to fast and for those times are the most memorable and brightest of me and my father from my childhood.

 

[highland145]

You're a quite right guy for P&N. OT is where it's at.

Wash state...come see us in S.C.