CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — There's frustration from some living in rural Cleveland County. They say their neighbors won't stop shooting guns for fun and are concerned the shots are putting kids in the community at risk.
Harvey Hector has spent his life in Lawndale near Nolan Road and Highway 182 but now worries about his safety with some people in the area shooting for fun.
“I mean, it’s constantly shooting for nothing," Hector said. "They got these things they put on them guns that make them sound like a semi-automatic. They say 'we target practicing'. I say, 'you don’t target practice here with all the kids out here'. And, they’re still doing it. And the police won’t stop it.”
WCNC Charlotte spoke to other neighbors who didn't want to comment publicly but shared the same concerns.
Deputies say there's little they can do.
“As long as the individuals are firing or shooting in a safe area, they’re not breaking any law," Chief Deputy Durwin Briscoe with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office said.
Mark Jetton, a criminal defense attorney, says laws can vary from city to city, county to county, and state to state.
“The laws, especially on this subject, can vary just, literally, between miles," he said, "so it’s always important to understand where you are and what you’re doing. If you're firing a gun and that bullet's traveling -- if it travels anywhere but on your property, there certainly could be implications."
But, Briscoe says the law in Hector's neighborhood is clear: shooting for sport is allowed, within reason.
"As long as they’re not shooting in an area where there are people or someone’s in danger of being shot," Briscoe said. “Some of it is for sport and some of it is, during this time of the season -- there could be individuals out hunting. Again, we’re talking about an area that’s a rural area,"
While it may be legal, Hector said, the shots are too close for comfort.
“Bullet don’t have no eyes. Don’t know how far that it will go," Hector said. "I’m sick of it. I’m sick of it.”
Briscoe encourages anyone concerned about their safety to contact the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office to have an officer confirm shots are being fired in a legal manner.
Apart from that, Briscoe said, reaching out to county commissioners or lawmakers would be the best route. WCNC Charlotte did reach out to the county board chair and vice chair but did not hear back by the time this article was initially published.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.