Chapter 9.15
FIREARMS
Sections:
9.15.010 Sale of weapons to minors.
9.15.020 Sale of ammunition to minors.
9.15.030 Possession and use of weapons by minors.
9.15.040 Prohibition does not apply to licensed hunters.
9.15.050 Other dangerous weapons – Sale, use, or possession prohibited.
9.15.060 Other dangerous weapons – Definition of “dangerous weapons” – Exceptions.
9.15.080 Shooting or aiming at buildings, signs, persons, or domestic animals.
9.15.010 Sale of weapons to minors.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.15.040, no persons shall sell, give, loan, or in any way furnish to any person under the age of 16 years any gun, revolver, pistol, firearm, spring gun, air gun, BB gun, sling, slingshot, bow and arrow, or other device designed or intended to discharge, or capable of discharging, any dangerous missile. (Ord. 52 § 1. 1990 Code § 3-3100.)
9.15.020 Sale of ammunition to minors.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.15.040, no person shall sell, give, loan, or in any way furnish, to any person under the age of 16 years, any cartridge, shell, ammunition, or device containing any explosive substance, designed or intended to be used in, or fired from, any gun, revolver, pistol, or other firearm. (Ord. 52 § 2. 1990 Code § 3-3101.)
9.15.030 Possession and use of weapons by minors.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.15.040, no person under the age of 16 years shall fire, discharge, shoot, or operate, or participate in the firing, discharging, shooting, or operating, or have in his/her possession, care, custody, or control, any gun, revolver, pistol, firearm, spring gun, air gun, BB gun, sling, slingshot, bow and arrow, or device designed or intended to discharge, or capable of discharging, any dangerous missile, or any cartridge, shell, ammunition, or device containing any explosive substance, designed or intended to be used in or fired from any gun, revolver, pistol, or other firearm. (Ord. 52 § 3; amended during 2012 reformat. 1990 Code § 3-3102.)
9.15.040 Prohibition does not apply to licensed hunters.
Nothing in Section 9.15.010, 9.15.020 or 9.15.030 shall be deemed or construed to prohibit the selling, giving, loaning, or furnishing of any article mentioned in Sections 9.15.010 and 9.15.030 to any person under the age of 16 years who is the holder of a valid hunting license issued to such person in accordance with the provisions of the California Fish and Game Code; nor prohibit any such licensee under the age of 16 years from using or possessing any article mentioned in Section 9.15.030. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed or construed to prohibit any person under the age of 16 years from firing, discharging, shooting, or operating any article mentioned in Section 9.15.030 when such person is the holder of a valid state hunting license and is engaged in hunting any wild game or predatory bird or animal which may be lawfully hunted and killed, or is lawfully engaged in shooting at any inanimate target or trapshooting device while accompanied by, and under the direct care and control of, some responsible adult person, at an established shooting range with a safe background. (Ord. 52 § 4. 1990 Code § 3-3103.)
9.15.050 Other dangerous weapons – Sale, use, or possession prohibited.
This chapter further prohibits the sale, gift, loan, or furnishing of dangerous weapons to any person, and the use by or possession or control of dangerous weapons by any person. (Ord. 52 § 5. 1990 Code § 3-3104.)
9.15.060 Other dangerous weapons – Definition of “dangerous weapons” – Exceptions.
“Dangerous weapons,” as used in Section 9.15.050, means and includes, but is not limited to: any knife having a blade two inches or more in length, or any snap blade or spring blade regardless of the length of the blade; any ice pick or similar sharp stabbing tool; any straight edge razor, or any razor blade fitted to a handle; or any cutting, stabbing, or bludgeoning weapon or device capable of inflicting bodily harm.
Nothing in Section 9.15.050 shall be deemed or construed to prohibit the possession or use by any person of a hunting knife carried in a sheath outside of the clothing while such person is engaged in lawful sport in which the use thereof is appropriate or going to or from such lawful sport; nor the possession or use of any item listed above, in connection with bona fide organized and supervised youth activities; nor the possession or use of any such instrument in lawful domestic or commercial pursuits. (Ord. 52 § 4; Ord. 330 § 1. 1990 Code § 3-3105.)
9.15.070 Use of weapons.
No person shall fire, discharge, shoot, or operate, or assist or participate in the firing, discharging, shooting, or operating of, any gun, revolver, pistol, shotgun, firearm, spring gun, air gun, BB gun, sling, slingshot, bow and arrow, or device designed or intended to discharge or capable of discharging any dangerous missile or any cartridge, shell, ammunition, or device containing any explosive substance. (Ord. 52 § 6; Ord. 330; Ord. 893 § 1, 4-4-72; Ord. 1113 § 1, 9-14-76. 1990 Code § 3-3106.)
9.15.080 Shooting or aiming at buildings, signs, persons, or domestic animals.
No person shall shoot, fire, discharge, or operate any gun, revolver, pistol, firearm, spring gun, air gun, BB gun, sling, slingshot, bow and arrow, or device designed or intended to discharge or capable of discharging any dangerous missile or any cartridge, shell, ammunition, or device containing any explosive substance, or aim any such weapon or device in the direction of any person, building, sign, utility pole, or power line, or insulator thereon, or any domestic fowl or animal, or any vehicle, vessel, or other article of personal property. (Ord. 52 § 7. 1990 Code § 3-3107.)
9.15.090 Exceptions.
Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed or construed as restricting or prohibiting the use of any weapon or device by any peace officer in the performance of his/her duty, nor to any person while lawfully defending life or property, nor to any person while engaged in lawfully protecting life, property, or crops from destruction or damage by any predatory or destructive bird or animal, nor to any person engaged in shooting in a shooting gallery, or while engaged in target, skeet, or trapshooting in any regularly established shooting range or range shooting club, or while engaged in hunting at any regularly established hunting club. (Ord. 52 § 8; Ord. 1113 § 2, 3-14-76; amended during 2012 reformat. 1990 Code § 3-3108.)