Idiot shows off unlicensed AR-15 on youtube. Video used as evidence.
Stupidity has no limits. Times Colonist (Victoria, Canada) reports:
YouTube videos of a Victoria man blasting a couch with an assault rifle in the woods near Jordan River were entered as evidence in a trial yesterday in B.C. Supreme Court.
The showing of “AR-15 Makes Swiss Cheese Out of a Couch” is the first time the Crown in B.C. has used YouTube videos to prove a number of allegations, prosecutor Nils Jensen told Justice Robert Metzger in his opening statement. The video has been removed from YouTube.
Darcie Kate McNeill and Brian Lynn Morrison are charged with a number of prohibited and dangerous weapons offences. These include use of a prohibited weapon in a careless manner near Jordan River in 2007 and possession of a loaded Colt AR-15 rifle — the equivalent of an M16 assault rifle — without a licence or registration certificate. The offences are alleged to have taken place between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 2007.
A while back an Australian emailed me from his work email address asking me to provide instructions on how to build a suppressor. I replied that I thought they were illegal in Australia. He said he knew they were but really wanted one. Sheesh. I could have forwarded that email to his boss! (I didn’t).
Jay.Mac, thanks for the tip!
Darn, they took it off. Do you know if the vid’s still available in another website? Thanks.
Arn’t Suppressors “restricted” in the USA as well? Its hard for us down here to see what you get to play with there sometimes but I agree if your going to do something that might be breaking the law don’t post it to YouTube. Poor AR-15 it’s going to end up as paper clips now, what a waste.
I have always referred to video or photos as evidence, no matter what they are showing. If I ever build my own weapons of non-legal status, you sure won’t find any videos of it on the poo-tube.
Idiot? Depends on what you mean.
If you mean he went and dug his own grave by posting the video online, you’re right. He’s an idiot.
If you mean he went and broke a terrible, life-wrecking law, then no, he’s not an idiot, he’s a better man than most.
AR-15 is not a prohibited weapon in Canada. All AR-15 variants are classed “restricted firearm” by diktat. It is not legal to shoot “restricted” firearms outside of certified firing ranges. An AK-47 variant would have been prohibited. A Mini-14 is unrestricted, and would have been legal, unless the shooting was within 100 (IIRC) meters of a dwelling place.
Also, it is firearm handlers that are licensed, not the firearms themselves. Firearms are registered.
The Times Colonist seems to have grossly misreported the charges. I’ll see if I can dig up the actual charges.
I was told that the civvie versions of an AR were legal in Canada? Restricted, but legal. I know this because I was looking into getting one before I got my CX4 storm. Does anyone know if the one he was shooting was a fully auto?
OK, here’s the deal. The prohibited weapon in question was a MAC-10 variant. The couch in the video was shot while on a logging road. Generally, discharging firearms on or near roads is forbidden here in Canada, though I’m not sure logging roads count. The incident was about 600 meters from the nearest dwelling, but discharging a restricted firearm (as all AR-15 variants are) anywhere other than a certified range is illegal.
I can’t tell if he’s licensed for restricted firearms (likely he is) or prohibited firearms (likely he is not), but as the MAC-10 has never been legal to own here, it obviously is unregistered and therefore being in possession of it is illegal.
It’s amazing to me that the level of stupid we keep discovering still amazes me.
Recently a guy who was videoing himself driving at 120+ MPH speeds on public streets…and….selling the videos online was arrested… and…the video was used as evidence against him. Shocking!
Kyle, thanks. Would be interesting to know.
I bet he doesn’t do that again any time soon.
I have mentioned your Blog to friends and wow I appreciate all the great info and headsup on new and old products (gunsandammo) It is one of my passions and obviously your too. Thanks again Mike
I felt so bad about this whole situation. Sure it was pretty dumb to video yourself breaking the law but it is a pretty retarded law. Then I read what the Canadians, Australians and Kalifornians had to say on these comments and I really became distraught. I thought I would go out 100m from my “dwelling” and shoot my AR-15. But it happened to be 7 degrees Fahrenheit this afternoon and I’m pretty fat and lazy being a free American and all. So instead, my unlicensed lazy butt opened the door to the side of my house, pointed my unregistered AR-15 rifle at a rock not on a authorized shooting range and unloaded a 30 round “high” capacity magazine while all the brass landed at my feet within my dwelling. I didn’t have a video camera to put it on YouTube but I could have since I was not breaking one silly law.
My wife was pretty pissed but then you’ll have that from time to time.
FatWhiteMan, Kudos to you! You made me laugh. I had to read your post to my wife because it was so funny! Keep shooting-no matter what the stupid laws may eventually say! Its your right! Just don’t use up all of your ammo, you may need some later.
No offense, but how is shooting at a rock a good thing?? (As opposed to shooting at, say, a steel plate, a sandbag, or another backstop.)
Interestingly enough, New Zealand has no restrictions on suppressors that I am aware of.
Whut the heck is a ‘registration certificate?’
Fidget, Obama will explain that one to you.
quite abit late, but basically our rules in canada are simple. Automatic weapons.. Prohibited. means only weapons dealers (military) can have them, or they need special goverment permission (we build our own military weapons, and yes, they are automatic). Semi auto weapons with 160mm or less barrels (ie handguns or carbines) are restricted. Handguns are limited to a 10 round clip, rifles 5. Un-restricted (a hilarious name because they are hugely restriced) weapons are semi-auto rifles with 5 or less rounds per clip. Bolt action rifles are unlimited clip, greater than 160mm barrel length. there are some other lame rules about handgun barrel lengths. Restricted weapons are only allowed in your home, unloaded, stored locked and seperate from your locked ammo. You must inform the police to transport your weapon. it must be locked in a case. Un-restricted weapons (ie you might reasonably use them to shoot a deer or other game) may be stored in the same manner, however you can shoot them almost wherever. They must be registered and the operator must be licensed.
Bascially any invasion of Canada would be met with a hail of accurate large caliber rifle rounds.
The rules are imho good, if poorly implemented. I can imagine what i would want an mp5 for. But a .308 win, bolt action w/ 10rnds. If shit hit the fan, i’m not leading a charge, merely protecting and feeding my family. that would fit the bill damn right. As opposed to any idiot (im sure lots of idiots fall through the cracks) having an mp5, i’m glad i cant get one.
It ant an assult rifle unless its capible of full auto if not its just a standard semi auto rifle