An Orlando security guard landed in jail early Monday for firing warning shots near a crowd of about 15 to 20 people — an incident that occurred just days after Florida lawmakers passed a bill permitting warning shots as part of the state’s “stand your ground” law.
Claudy Petit Frere of Signal 88 Security was working at Nassau Bay Apartments about 4:45 a.m. when, he said, a fight broke out and people in the crowd tried to disarm him.
Fearing for his life, Petit Frere told police, he drew his handgun and “shot it in a safe location” behind him to make the crowd back up. Two of the bullets struck a nearby apartment building, according to his arrest report.
Police charged him with three felony and two misdemeanor crimes, including shooting into an occupied dwelling, false imprisonment with a weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm, records show.
“It’s not a law yet,” Orlando police spokesman Sgt. Jim Young said Monday afternoon.Guard’s arrest for firing gun near crowd comes days after warning-shot bill passes.
It is not all front sight-press trigger-make holes. You have to be aware and know the laws of the land and stay within its parameters. And the other very important thing you must do is to stay abreast of what is happening at the legislative level but trying to avoid the “information” and “analysis” given by the Media as they will probably be less than accurate in the best of cases and downright liars most of the time.
I am not saying that Mr. Frere was confused by what has been said in the news lately, but I would not be surprised if that would turn out to be the case. Unfortunately, he is going to have a tough time in his near future.
Well, since “warning shots” need to be fired in a SAFE direction, and he hit a “nearby” apartment building with his warning fire, I’d say he wasn’t firing in a safe direction. Bullets gotta land somewhere — it’s YOUR job to pick someplace you don’t mind bullets punching holes that twelve of your peers agree with in court.
If someone was trying to disarm me, the only shots fired would be to center mass. Ammo cost too much for warning shots.
“Warning shots” are figments of Hollywood movie imagination. They don’t belong in the real world of defensive carry. WE are responsible for every shot we fire. You can’t call after a speeding bullet, “Come back! I’m sorry!”
Agree, and that is why I have been pestering everybody to read the bill and not to go by what the media says.
It is not good to use firearms in crowd or it should be penalized. For firearms training the place should be free and out of public.
If the crowd is attacking you with enough force to fear death or grave bodily harm? You may be needing to shoot at it.