I have one question...If you can't legally buy a gun at 16...How can you own one?
You can be given it by your parent/guardian:
IC 35-47-10-1
Exemptions from chapter
Sec. 1. This chapter does not apply to the following:
(1) A child who is attending a hunters safety course or a firearms safety course or an adult who is supervising the child during the course.
(2) A child engaging in practice in using a firearm for target shooting at an established range or in an area where the discharge of a firearm is not prohibited or supervised by:
(A) a qualified firearms instructor; or
(B) an adult who is supervising the child while the child is at the range.
(3) A child engaging in an organized competition involving the use of a firearm or participating in or practicing for a performance by an organized group under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that uses firearms as a part of a performance or an adult who is involved in the competition or performance.
(4) A child who is hunting or trapping under a valid license issued to the child under IC 14-22.
(5) A child who is traveling with an unloaded firearm to or from an activity described in this section.
(6) A child who:
(A) is on real property that is under the control of the child's parent, an adult family member of the child, or the child's legal guardian; and
(B) has permission from the child's parent or legal guardian to possess a firearm.
(7) A child who:
(A) is at the child's residence; and
(B) has the permission of the child's parent, an adult family member of the child, or the child's legal guardian to possess a firearm.
IC 35-47-10-5
Dangerous possession of a firearm
Sec. 5. A child who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly:
(1) possesses a firearm for any purpose other than a purpose described in section 1 of this chapter; or
(2) provides a firearm to another child with or without remuneration for any purpose other than a purpose described in section 1 of this chapter;
commits dangerous possession of a firearm, a Class A misdemeanor. However, the offense is a Class C felony if the child has a prior conviction under this section.
As added by P.L.140-1994, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.203-1996, SEC.4.
IC 35-47-10-6
Dangerous control of a firearm
Sec. 6. An adult who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly provides a firearm to a child for any purpose other than those described in section 1 of this chapter, with or without remuneration, commits dangerous control of a firearm, a Class C felony. However, the offense is a Class B felony if the adult has a prior conviction under this section.
As added by P.L.140-1994, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.203-1996, SEC.5.
IC 35-47-10-7
Permitting child to possess a firearm
Sec. 7. A child's parent or legal guardian who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly permits the child to possess a firearm:
(1) while:
(A) aware of a substantial risk that the child will use the firearm to commit a felony; and
(B) failing to make reasonable efforts to prevent the use of a firearm by the child to commit a felony; or
(2) when the child has been convicted of a crime of violence or has been adjudicated as a juvenile for an offense that would constitute a crime of violence if the child were an adult;
commits dangerous control of a child, a Class C felony. However, the offense is a Class B felony if the child's parent or legal guardian has a prior conviction under this section. As added by P.L.140-1994, SEC.12. Amended by P.L.203-1996, SEC.6.
and
IC 35-47-2-7
Prohibited sales or transfers of ownership
Sec. 7. (a) Except an individual acting within a parent-minor child or guardian-minor protected person relationship or any other individual who is also acting in compliance with IC 35-47-10, a person may not sell, give, or in any other manner transfer the ownership or possession of a handgun or assault weapon (as defined in IC 35-50-2-11) to any person under eighteen (18) years of age.
(b) It is unlawful for a person to sell, give, or in any manner transfer the ownership or possession of a handgun to another person who the person has reasonable cause to believe:
(1) has been:
(A) convicted of a felony; or
(B) adjudicated a delinquent child for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult, if the person seeking to obtain ownership or possession of the handgun is less than twenty-three (23) years of age;
(2) is a drug abuser;
(3) is an alcohol abuser; or
(4) is mentally incompetent.
As added by P.L.311-1983, SEC.32. Amended by P.L.33-1989, SEC.126; P.L.140-1994, SEC.8; P.L.269-1995, SEC.7.
Going by the above it's not illegal for a child to own/possess a gun if it was given them by a parent/guardian, even though they can'y buy one themselves.
In IN the kid would be completely legal in the above situation because the gun was unloaded & he had just hunted that morning.
What everyone seems to be missing is the fact that he was not old enough to own a gun....now if the car was in his fathers name and he left it there maybe you would have a case.
My guess would be that would actually be worse than just "giving" the kid the gun in the first place or giving him specific permission to use the gun.
I despise Liberals!
Got any proof that the school district is run by those "liberals" you say you "despise" so much?