15 Year Old Utah Teen Arrested for Discharging a Firearm near Riverdale Park

A 15 year old Utah boy has been arrested for discharging a firearm near a Riverdale park; a location that is also in close proximity to an elementary school.

Semi-automatic weapon at park

On Tuesday evening, Riverdale police received multiple calls about gunshots being heard near Riverdale Park and Riverdale Elementary. Officers arrived to the scene and after a short police chase on foot, the 15 year old was apprehended. On his person was a semi-automatic weapon as well as an undisclosed quantity of ammunition. There is no information available on a possible reason behind the teen discharging the firearm. Fortunately nobody was hurt and no property has been reported damaged thus far.

Minor possession of a firearm

Although no one was injured, the 15 year old is likely to face multiple charges for discharging a firearm. Utah code 76-10-509 explains that “A minor under 18 years of age may not possess a dangerous weapon unless he:

(a) Has the permission of his parent or guardian to have the weapon; or

(b) Is accompanied by a parent or guardian while he has the weapon in his possession.”

A teen who violates this law faces a class B misdemeanor or Class A misdemeanor if he has already been charged for a similar crime. If the firearm in question had been a fully-automatic versus a semi-automatic, the teen would be facing a third degree felony.

Discharging a firearm

Utah Code 76-10-508.1 states that discharging a firearm is a third degree felony if the person in question shot towards a house, person, or vehicle or “with intent to intimidate or harass another”. If a person is injured those charges increase to a second degree felony; seriously injured, a first degree felony. Beyond Utah State law, the city of Riverdale Utah also has ordinances in place regarding discharging a firearm near a park. According to section 7-7-4 (a) of a public document put out by the Riverdale City regarding parks and trails, “No person in any park or river trail system shall: use firearms of any description including, but not limited to, air rifles, spring guns, bows and arrows, rockets, slings, paint guns, or any other forms of weapons potentially harmful to wildlife or dangerous to human safety.”

Federal charges

Discharging a firearm can bring an array of charges, even federal. According to information found on CONGRESS.GOV, the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990“Amends the Federal criminal code to impose criminal penalties for the possession or discharge of a firearm in a school zone ( . . . )”. With the many charges possible regarding discharging a firearm, parents of teens involved should take the matter seriously and solicit counsel from an experienced juvenile defense attorney.