City May Tighten BB Gun Laws

Residents outraged over the killing of two Muscovy ducks in a public retention pond in November are prompting leaders to reconsider city BB gun laws on Thursday.

A law already on Dunedin's books makes it illegal for a person to fire a slingshot, bow, sling or “other similar device” within corporate limits, but BB guns are not included in the language (Section 50-2). 

Now, the Public Safety Committee is recommending that city leaders add a subsection to the ordinance that makes firing BB guns "in any park within the corporate limits of the city" a punishable misdemeanor offense.

In November, two Muscovy ducks were attacked by young men with pellet guns and reportedly killed for food in a neighborhood retention pond between Alamo and Paloma lanes. When deputies were called to the scene, they could not arrest any of the shooters because the ducks were considered an invasive species and no laws against firing BB guns or pellet guns existed. (.)

Ducks were not the only victims of BB gun attacks in Dunedin last year. The  using pellet guns, marbles or BB guns from early August to mid-November. A student was also attacked with a BB gun .

The proposed new ordinance will be read aloud for the first time at the regular city commission meeting Thursday, April 19 (6:30 p.m., at ).

[Updated 7:54 p.m., Thursday, April 19, 2012]