My buddy called me and said his neighbor pointed a gun at him!

[RogueSniper]

This ^^

OP - time to help your buddy to move.

[Falstaff]

I don't know. I mean I'm not a lawyer or anything, but it seems really odd that the police can just force their way into your house without a warrant just because some guy said you did something.

I betcha the guy consented to the search; perhaps thinking that since he hid the pistol, they wouldnt find a gun.
If he'd a had the balls to stand the police down and refuse them entry and had the financial wherewhithal to defend himself on their turf (the courtroom); they prolly wouldnt have been able to search his pad. Best case scenario for a situation like that is to be the "first caller" or be GOA when the cops get there if yer not....

Years ago, I had a nutcase scream at me that I couldnt walk my dog down his street, not even across the street from him because it made his dogs bark! (My dogs breed rarely barks, and never made a peep at anytime during these encounters) anyway, I of course told him to pound sand and walked my dog even more frequently, one day he came out with a Ruger single action revolver and brandished it at me and said he was gonna shoot my dog. Dropped a dime on his dumb *** and the Sheriff's hooked him for several charges, mostly because he was so dumb he admitted to everything and had the the loaded gun out on the table when they got there. he actually thought he was within his rights to forbid someone from walking on the public street! The Sheriffs told me it helps them decide who's lieing in a situation like that when the RP has an accurate description of the weapon. Mine was spot on: Ruger,SA, .44 or .45Colt, dark blueing, walnut grips...

Sad thing is, even the police will tell ya, "whoever calls first" will get the benefit of the doubt, so, you're right, someone could randomly call and make up some horrendous BS and if you don't know your rights; you could get hooked up on serious charges even though you are 100% factually innocent.

[Mac]

wtf

That's what I said. Happened 5 years back or so. IIRC.

House lots must be getting smaller these days if you have to gripe over a parking space.

[PsychGuy274]

Tell your buddy to get the restraining order at the very least. Get a shotgun or a pistol (if he doesn't have one already) for home defense until he has the time/money/resources to move.

I don't know where he is in California, but in some counties that will be more than enough for a CCW.

[9mmepiphany]

I would hope that 1 mans word against another man is not probable cause enough to enter ones home and conduct a search. I would think multiple witnesses would be required at a minimum.

It's enough for LEOs to go over and inquire about what happened.

I will say that in 28 years, the only people who have been adamant about my not entering their home did not have the legal right to deny my entry. Maybe it's just the way I asked

[DaveFJ80]

What I'm surprised to hear/read is that the police seemed to have shown up fairly quickly (I'm assuming) after his friend placed the call to 911 about the neighbor brandishing a firearm and pointing it at them in a threatening manner.

I've actually heard similar stories where the person immediately called 911, and then the cops showed up 4 hours later only to talk to the guy for 5 minutes and then tell you "everything's fine, he doesn't have a gun..." or what not. So I'm surprised, and glad to hear that this neighbor was booked on these charges.

[sandman21]

i agree its a leap to say the search was illegal from the story. It looks like #2 either lied or let them in. I am curious is one witness enough for a search of the house without a gun on the guy outside?

[Scratch705]

lesson here is don't clean your guns on the front porch or with garage door open. all it will take is 1 crazy anti-gunner to make a false call and you will get hooked and booked.

[Aldemar]

Anyone that's willing to point a gun at people for little reason shouldn't have a gun. Get an RO before you end up in a box.

I've never seen a piece of paper stop a bullet. His buddy needs to move ASAP. There is brave and there is stubborn. Before, he does so, he needs to set up some of camera as I predict slashed tires/keyed paint are in his future.

[Rob454]

: I told him to put out a restraining order on the neighbor and file charges of assault, brandishing, and possible attempted murder. Sorry, but this was NOT a responsible Gun Owner. For my buddy's sake and everyone else's, this guy should not be allowed to own guns.

Can't say any more or give any more details (ie. where, what city)

Exactly what I would do.

But the first thing I would of done while "talking on the phone" was to aim the CAMERA of my phone and snap a pic of him pointing the gun at me. That would clear up any confusion on the neighbors part when the cops question him

[SkyStorm82]

Are neighbor #1 and 2 friends with each other?

[Caiden07]

What I'm surprised to hear/read is that the police seemed to have shown up fairly quickly (I'm assuming) after his friend placed the call to 911 about the neighbor brandishing a firearm and pointing it at them in a threatening manner.

I've actually heard similar stories where the person immediately called 911, and then the cops showed up 4 hours later only to talk to the guy for 5 minutes and then tell you "everything's fine, he doesn't have a gun..." or what not. So I'm surprised, and glad to hear that this neighbor was booked on these charges.

True most of the time the pizza delivery guy shows up faster than the cops but if you mention the word GUN on the 911 operator chances are it will become a priority to them. I read a local news story where a old lady calls for 911 to report vandalism in progress of her trailer house. The suspect where long gone when the cops showed up, this happens multiple time so the old lady decided to arm her self with a shotgun. The next time she calls 911 she said told the operator " I'm reporting a vadalism on my trailer house please send a police quickly before I start shooting them " right away the cops are all over the trailer house.

[Ron-Solo]

Wait what? So if I call the cops and tell them that my neighbor pointed a gun at me, they will illegally search his house and arrest him if they find any shooting paraphernalia?

Where do you come to this conclusion that the search and arrest were illegal? Do you have FACTS that were not in the original post?

[tuna quesadilla]

Where do you come to this conclusion that the search and arrest were illegal? Do you have FACTS that were not in the original post?

Do you?

Like I said in my subsequent post, which you so conveniently ignored, I do not know for sure, and I am by NO means a legal expert, but I would think that unless the guy consented to having his house searched (intentionally or unintentionally), the cops had no right to enter his house and search it simply based on the word of one man. Let me say it again for you, in bold this time: I am not a legal expert, and I may be 100% incorrect..

ETA: It just really irks me if the story is true, because that means that I (a completely law-abiding gun owner) could conceivably be arrested and charged just because some anti-gunner finds out that I own guns and makes up some BS story about me threatening him or brandishing at him or telling him I'm gonna shoot him, etc etc...

[todd2968]

I thought cops could just pull up an address and see how many guns were registered to that person, If not why did I put my physical address in addition to my mi id and orders.