Did I hit him?...

guywhofishes

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This could easily be me in a few years. šŸ„“

East Grand Forks man charged after trying to shoot squirrel, hitting neighbor's home, changes plea​

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18.​

A courtroom gavel

By Sav Kelly
March 28, 2023 at 5:18 PM
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News reporting

EAST GRAND FORKS ā€“ An East Grand Forks man charged with one felony and a misdemeanor after trying to shoot a squirrel within city limits has changed his plea.
Michael James Powers, 76, was charged with felony discharge of a firearm within a municipality in December . The charge has a maximum penalty of two years in prison and $5,000 in fines. Powers is also charged with misdemeanor recklessly handling or using a firearm.
On Tuesday, March 28, Powers pleaded guilty to the felony charge.
According to an affidavit in the case, the East Grand Forks Police Department was dispatched on Dec. 4 for suspected bullet holes reported in a house.
The reporting party told law enforcement heā€™d found holes in the siding of his house that day, as well as broken glass and a bullet on the window ledge inside the home, the affidavit said.


Police located six 0.22 rounds on the property ā€” five in the siding of the house and one on the window ledge. Two suspected bullet holes were also observed in a fence on the property, the affidavit said.
Powers was located next door. He told law enforcement ā€œhe was shooting at a red squirrel on top of his bird feederā€ from his bedroom window and missed, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, ā€œPowers further stated the following: this was not the first time he shot at squirrels on the bird feeder.ā€ Powers told police heā€™d fired the gun through his bedroom window on approximately six occasions over the past two years.
When Powers told his wife he was being arrested, she said, ā€œWell, I told you,ā€ the affidavit said.
The affidavit states Powers told police he couldnā€™t believe heā€™d been hitting the house and, if he had known, he would have stopped.
Powersā€™ sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18.
 


NDSportsman

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If the squirrels irritate you that much maybe stop feeding the birds. Birds make more of a mess than the squirrels IMO.
 

Lycanthrope

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Hopefully hes not locked up for 2 years, I think paying for damages and seizure of his gun would teach him an adequate lesson... Note to self, always shoot into the ground when dispatching squirrels and rabbits in your back yard, and use subsonic rounds!
 


Rowdie

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Must pay for damages! Then take his rifle away. Fine him. A week or 2 of jail might wake his dumb ass up, but I doubt years in jail is justified.
 


guywhofishes

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For the record, a pellet gun works for me - currently.

But I may decide to up the caliber/velocity when I get goofier due to my increasing age. A little part of me can relate and see failing judgement coming into play as we age. šŸ˜–
 

dsharp83

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Unless he was batshit crazy, I probably would've went and talked to him first. Tell him what is going on and ask him to pay for repairs. If he refuses, then get LE involved. No need to make a 76 old man a felon.
he was shooting a neighbors house....
shot out a window.. from what i heard was a kids bedroom...
he is 76 years old... he should damn well know better than to shoot with a house in the background....
rule 1 know whats in the background before pulling the trigger
he is dumb as shit.. and probably deserves to be a felon and should never own a firearm again,
so the next time he doesn't shoot someone..
thats whats wrong with this country now, stop babing people for doing stupid shit and make them pay the price for their stupidity. so it dosent happen again...
 

espringers

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oh so many thoughts here. but, will just stick to the legalities for now. in ND, he wouldn't see a day in jail and would likely get a deferred imposition with a year of unsupervised probation, pay for damages and lose firearms rights for a bit. however, he is in MN. so, its entirely possible he will get the death penalty.
 

guywhofishes

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Last fall the next door neighbor of mine got his bedroom window shot with a 9mm.

2022-11-02 16.31.33.jpg


Tracked down by cops to a DIY shooting range on the north side of Fargo (extreme North University Drive)
 


bravo

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Pretty dumb, you need to know whatā€™s behind your target and a .22 can still kill somebody. A good BB gun does the trick on squirrels anyway.
 

Lycanthrope

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Subsonic rounds are quieter than my pellet gun. Plus they work! I've shot rabbits out our bedroom window.
Yes they are much quieter, dang near silent, the loudest part is the bullet hitting the ground usually...
 

Shockwave

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A pellet gun can also come in a .22 caliber. So was it a pellet gun, or 22 rifle? That does change things a bit. And yes, I agree. know what is behind your target.
 

measure-it

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I do feel that this being a FELONY is a bit extreme.
I don't condone the shooting, but save the harsh
sentences/charges for true felons: druggies, rapists,
murderers, etc.
The judges/courts are far too easy-going on the true criminals....plus let them out far too easy.
 

Twitch

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I do feel that this being a FELONY is a bit extreme.
I don't condone the shooting, but save the harsh
sentences/charges for true felons: druggies, rapists,
murderers, etc.
The judges/courts are far too easy-going on the true criminals....plus let them out far too easy.
Itā€™s minnesotaā€¦.the true felons you listed get released without bail
 


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