Shannon's law refers to specific changes in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

statutes, enacted in 2000, making it a

felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...

offense to discharge firearms randomly into the air.

History

''Shannon's law'' is named after Shannon Smith, a fourteen-year-old

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

girl killed by a stray bullet in June 1999. Smith's parents, after being informed that the assailant's activity constituted, at most, a misdemeanor offense, advocated stronger penalties, to prevent future incidents of this kind. Otis and Lory Smith joined the board of directors for

Arizonans for Gun Safety Arizonans for Gun Safety (AzGS) is a non-profit organization that aims to reduce gun-related deaths and promote gun safety. The organization also has education programs to teach about safe storage practices, non-violent conflict resolution, and w ...

. They started a campaign that took them all over Arizona. Their efforts were supported by councilman Phil Gordon, the city council of

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

, and president of the National Rifle Association Charlton Heston. After a speech by Governor

Jane Dee Hull Jane Dee Hull (; August 8, 1935 – April 16, 2020) was an American politician and educator. In 1997, she ascended to the office of governor of Arizona following the resignation of Fife Symington, becoming the state's 20th governor. Hull wa ...

voicing her support, senate minority leader Jack A. Brown named passing the law a priority. The

Arizona legislature The Arizona State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Senate. Composed of 90 legislators, th ...

failed to pass the bill twice in 1999, but it finally received both

state senate A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...

and state house approval in April 2000. The bill was enacted that July, with Governor Hull signing the bill in the Smith's front yard.

Enforcement

Violation of ''Shannon's law'' is defined as a class 6 felony offense in Arizona. However, as with most felony offenses in United States

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, areas of jurisdiction apply to local, state, and federal levels. J ...

s, a person charged with this offense can strike a plea bargain with prosecutors, and may be eligible for only a misdemeanor

conviction In law, a conviction is the verdict reached by a court of law finding a defendant guilty of a crime. The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal (that is, "not guilty"). In Scotland, there can also be a verdict of " not proven", which is cons ...

. The decision of whether such an offer is available lies solely in the hands of the prosecutor, and presently these offenses are being charged as "dangerous" offenses, thereby making the accused ineligible for probation under state law, requiring a prison sentence even for a first offense. On December 31, 2003, police in the city of Glendale began using equipment which alerted them to the location from which a shot was fired. As random discharge of firearms are common in some areas of the United States on New Year's Eve,

Fourth of July Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...

, and other holidays, four arrests of ''Shannon's law'' violators were made that night, and it is expected that more Arizona

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

departments will receive similar equipment.

Shannon Smith Memorial

Shannon Smith had been an award-winning athlete and honor student, and had graduated from the eighth grade a few weeks prior to her death. While she stood in her backyard talking on the telephone with a friend, a stray bullet hit her in her head, causing instant death. Smith's death sparked a furor among Arizona residents. Her funeral was attended by approximately 1,300 people. A sunflower monument, made with melted metal from confiscated firearms, was raised in her honor at Madison Meadows Middle School by her classmates and friends. Nearly $20,000 in donations for the monument were primarily raised by Shannon's friends and classmates holding car washes.Alt URL
/ref>

References

{{Reflist

External links

Arizona Statutes for unlawful discharge of firearms
Arizona statutes United States firearms law 2000 in American law 2000 in Arizona

History

Enforcement

Shannon Smith Memorial

See also

References

External links