Neighbors Complained About The Gunfire, But It's Apparently Not Illegal (Yet)

Police were called to a gravel pit near Charlestown, RI Sunday afternoon by neighbors complaining of people in a low-flying helicopter shooting at something in the quarry.

It turns out they were taking a few potshots at an abandoned car in the gravel pit.

The Providence Journal reports that police first responded to the home of a resident who lives near the gravel operation. The resident, who was not identified, took Sgt. Philip B. Gingerella Sr. to a bank overlooking the pit, where he observed a helicopter on the ground and two men walking towards the entrance of the of the gravel bank. The officer reportedly recognized the two men.

A third person identified himself as the owner and pilot of the aircraft. When asked if he thought the activity was "a good idea," he responded that he knew of similar activities in Texas. Sgt. Gingerella told Dean Francis Scalera, the helo owner, that he wasn't in Texas, he was in Rhode Island.

However, it is apparently not illegal to shoot at an abandoned car in a privately-owned gravel quarry from an airborne helicopter in the Ocean State.

The group, which totaled eight people including two from Florida, had some firepower. The weapons secured included three AR-15 rifles, a Chinese SKS rifle, four handguns and a shotgun. The car was reportedly worth about $10 before the shooting began.

Police checked for concealed weapons permits and found everything in order. Gingerella wrote that everyone was polite and cooperative, and no charges have been filed.

But that doesn't mean they are completely off the hook. The local authorities notified the FAA, which has opened an investigation into the matter. A state official said that the group may have violated "numerous" FAA regulations.

(Image captured by Charlestown, RI  PD)

FMI: www.faa.gov