A bullet into the side of a
children's playhouse in the Green Hills neighborhood. Another bullet into the front window of a Brownsburg home in the Arbor Springs subdivision.
"It could have hit any one of our houses in this neighborhood and it could have hit any of our kids or any of our neighbors," said Lynae Kibiger, of the stray .30 caliber round that shattered a pane of glass.
Police think that bullet came from target shooters nearly two miles away. The damage at the playhouse is from a neighbor.
“We won't allow them (children) back here any longer since he isn't required to tell us when he's going to be shooting, we just elected to keep the kids away from the area,” said homeowner Michael Kaufmann.
That neighbor is building a private gun range with a safety back wall he says will be 40 feet high.
"I really just think it's up to the shooter to make sure he's shooting in a safe and responsible manner," said Cody Sowders. Asked if that's what he's trying to do with the range, he replied: "Yeah, that's what everyone wants to do."
"Anytime you have gunfire mixed in areas where there are residences, it's always a concern and it's a valid concern," said Hendricks County Sheriff Brett Clark.
And while the sheriff says most shooting on private property is perfectly legal. The influx of population in to Hendricks County, the second fastest growing county in the state, may require a fresh approach.
"Perhaps now's the time to start having the discussion about a county ordinance," said the sheriff talking about backyard ranges, "I kind of welcome the opportunity for us to sit down and as community leaders decide how we want to handle this in
."
In the meantime, neighbor John Monser is going door to door, trying to convince Green Hills neighbors to sign a petition against the shooting range.
"If you're interested in stopping this...'cause it is at the back yard," explained Monser to a neighbor.
Though a gun owner himself, he doesn't want to live in the line of fire.
"There's also a factor of safety and is it safe. It's sad, but you almost have to wait until something happens and then you can stop it. But I want to stop it beforehand," said Monser.
In the Brownsburg case, of the bullet in the window, the prosecutor will ultimately decide if charges should be filed. But in the case of the private shooting range on private property, the sheriff says the homeowner is doing nothing illegal and the only real recourse the neighbors have is to file a civil law suit.
