GENESEO – Geneseo Police have identified the person who apparently shot an arrow into the air so that it stuck into the roof of a garage on Ivy Lane in the Village of Geneseo.
According to Geneseo Police Chief Eric Osganian, the subject is a 12-year-old boy who lives in the area.
No charges were filed due to the youth’s age. Geneseo Police have not had any problems with the youth in the past.
The youth and his parents were talked to by police and the incident was documented.
“The arrow appears to be a training arrow, but if it an adult or a child was struck, it could have been disastrous,” said Chief Osganian in a press release Monday morning. “With hunting season coming up, it’s good to remind people of the dangers of these weapons.”
The law is as follows, from the DEC website:
Discharge of Firearms, Crossbows and Bows
For information on where various legal implements may be used in the state, see Rifle, Shotgun, Crossbow and Bow Areas.
It is illegal to discharge a firearm, longbow or crossbow:
so that the load or arrow passes over any part of a public highway,
within 500 feet (for a firearm), 250 feet (for a crossbow) or 150 feet (for a longbow) of any school, playground, or an occupied factory or church,
within 500 feet (for a firearm), 250 feet (for a crossbow) or 150 feet (for a longbow) of a dwelling, farm building or structure in occupation or use unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member of the family, an employee, or have the owner’s consent.
You may hunt waterfowl with a firearm or longbow, over water, within 500 feet of a dwelling or public structure as long as neither are within 500 feet (for a firearm) or 150 feet (for a longbow) in the direction you are shooting. You may not hunt waterfowl with a crossbow.
For the purpose of these laws, definitions are as follows:
Dwelling houses — a permanent place where people live and sleep. Excluded are temporary residential units including camping trailers, motor homes or other portable shelters. Also excluded are abandoned dwellings, detached garages, tree houses, “playscapes”, decks, pool areas, storage sheds and out-buildings – even when/if they are temporarily occupied. A permanent camp or cabin may qualify as a “dwelling house”.
Farm building, farm structure that is either occupied or used — these structures are largely determined on a case-by-case basis. To qualify, the premises alleged to be a farm must be utilized principally for agricultural production for commercial purposes, including but not limited to crops, fruit, hay, livestock, production of dairy products, nurseries/greenhouses. There is no minimum number of acres that must be either owned or farmed to qualify. To receive protection the farm building or farm structure must be either occupied by people or livestock or used in some, even small, degree for storage of farm related tools, equipment or livestock. Excluded would be structures and out-buildings on acreage or lands that are not a “farm” even if they are temporarily occupied.
School building, school playground — a school building is any building owned by a school district. A school playground is interpreted to mean any area that is maintained by the school including mowed lawns and fields, athletic fields, playgrounds, and/or other areas where students engage in school sponsored activities. Excluded are school parking lots. A maintenance building or bus garage owned by a school district is not a “school building” but would be a “factory” as discussed below.
Factory or church — A factory is interpreted to mean any building or structure used for commercial purposes. The discharge of a firearm or longbow within 500 feet of a factory or church is prohibited only when such building is occupied at the time of discharge.
(Photo/Geneseo Police Department)