Neighbors battling with Spencer gun range over bullets hitting homes

[Dean Krzyzanoski]

Take the guns away and ban them. These are not responsible
people.

http://fox59.com/2017/03/14/neighbors-battling-with-gun-range-
over-bullets-hitting-homes/

SPENCER, Ind.—Some people living near a gun range are terrified
they’re going to be hit by a bullet one day soon.

Neighbors in Spencer directly across from the Precision Gun
Range say their houses on Hardscrabble Road have been struck by
several bullets.

“The neighbor’s daughter and I were outside and we heard the
bullet whizz by,” said Kathy Wise. “It went whirr, thump.”

First, Kathy Wise says the bullets sounded too close. Then, she
knew for sure they were.

She walked around the house, pointing out bullet holes she and
her husband found on the back of the garage. Then she showed
where she says state police and local investigators had found
even more bullet holes and the actual ammunition.

“When he checked our house, he found a bullet in our house, a
.223,” said Wise. “He’s got it on record where he pulled the
siding out and pulled it out of the side of the house.”

Investigators traced the path of one bullet from the outside of
the garage, through a divider and clear through another wall.

“It’s a dangerous safety issue,” said Wise. “Our ballistics man
was shocked. He says it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of
when someone gets hurt.”

Investigators have also found bullet holes or bullets on the
neighbors’ properties.

Ballistics professionals have flagged bullets throughout the
tree line separating the gun range from the homes and beyond, on
the residential side of the woods.

They’ve told the Wises and other neighbors that the woods should
stop any bullets from leaving the property, but in a Facebook
post, also claimed any bullets that clear the berm—used to stop
bullets that miss targets—would clear residential houses as well.

Wise says that’s problematic for two reasons.

One, the woods aren’t owned by the range. But bullets shot by
the customers have torn up the trees, leaving the owner unable
to log the timber for money.

The second issue, says Wise, is that if bullets are clearing
their house, the range is still acknowledging bullets are
leaving their property.

“No bullet should ever leave their property on a gun range,”
said Wise. “If it goes over us, it’s going to be in the road,
where school buses are. There’s a man who rides a bike up and
down the road, you driving in the road, anybody could get hit in
their car now.”

Precision staff would not talk on camera today, but did say they
take safety seriously. They claim their investigation shows the
bullet holes didn’t come from them and they’re likely not
responsible.

Wise though, questions why the owners left a voicemail, offering
to pay for damage to their house and trailer, if they didn’t
feel they were responsible.

Since then, despite the gun range backing away from taking
responsibility, they did first move the building closer to the
targets.

Wise says the bullets kept coming anyway.

Then, Owen County Sheriff Leonard Hobbs says he recommended they
shut the rifle range portion of the business down until the
investigation was over.

Wise hopes it stays that way, until Precision can guarantee 100
percent a bullet won’t come through her home as she and her
husband sleep.

“Every time he comes out to the garage, I now say a little
prayer to keep him safe,” said Wise. “It’s like, you shouldn’t
have to pray for your husband’s safety in your own house in
Spencer, Indiana.”

If the problems with the rifle range aren’t solved, Wise says
they’ll be forced to continue planning their lives around trying
to avoid bullets.

“We used to keep our dog outside, we can’t keep our dog outside
anymore,” said Wise. “We don’t have cookouts, we mow on Mondays,
whether it rains or shines, because they’re closed on Mondays
because then we’re safe. It’s crazy that something can’t be
done. It’s just crazy.”