Locals are worried
that using such weapons instead of bows or shotguns puts civilians at risk.
By Dan
Taylor, Patch Staff | Nov
10, 2017 1:52 pm ET
FAIRFAX
COUNTY, VA -- Some members of the community are upset after hearing that
Fairfax County police will be killing deer this season using AR-15 rifles,
according to a report.
NBC Washington reports that Fairfax
County Police will use AR-15s to help control the deer population in the
Alexandria area starting in mid-November and continuing until mid-March.
"Even
though the police say they shoot down as it's supposed to be safe, we just feel
that you can't ever rule out weapons malfunction or human error," resident
Nancy Schoenig said, according to the report.
Police
say it's necessary for them to cull the deer population using AR-15s because it
has gotten out of control, and AR-15s are the most accurate and humane way to
do it.
AR-15s
have been used in numerous mass shootings in recent years. The issue has
sparked a big debate on NBC Washington's Facebook page, with some
saying that AR-15s should be used and other saying it's much ado about nothing.
"Use
a crossbow on the deer," commented John Perman. "Then butcher it and
sell the meat. I'd rather people use a bow and arrow in a highly populated
area. Also in more rural areas, only single shot rifles should be allowed. No
semi automatic or automatic with 15 to 20 rounds."
Dian
Rosen-Cornwell said that police do this at Frying Pan Park in Herndon as well,
and the meat is donated to local food pantries. "I'm much more concerned
about the random angry white guy with an AR-15 than trained police shooting a
deer. Perspective people," she said.
Bill
Johnson said that "any knowledgeable hunter" would say that an AR-15
is a "stupid choice of weapon, and will endanger civilian lives." He
recommended a shotgun instead.
Phil
Dee called concern about AR-15s "hysteria."
"As
another poster mentioned, an AR-15 is NOT an automatic rifle," he wrote.
"It's not going to fire like the Vegas shooter fired unless it's equipped
with a bump stock. The police departments aren't going to go out hunting for
deer using bump stocks, that's just absurd."