[Code 1962, § 31-5; amended by Ord. of 6-23-1997(3); 6-25-2012]
(a)
If any person shall carry about his person, hidden from common observation,
(i) any pistol, revolver or other weapon designed or intended to propel
a missile of any kind; or (ii) any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade
knife, ballistic knife, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks,
or blackjack; or (iii) any flailing instrument consisting of two or
more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing
freely, which may be known as a nunchuhka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken
or fighting chain; or (iv) any disc, of whatever configuration, having
at least two points or pointed blades, which is designed to be thrown
or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental
dart; or (v) any weapon of like kind as those enumerated in this subsection,
he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
(b)
Any weapon used in the commission of a violation of this section
shall be forfeited to the City and may be seized by an officer as
forfeited; and such as may be needed for police officers and conservators
of the peace shall be devoted to that purpose, subject to any registration
requirements of federal law, and the remainder shall be destroyed
by the officer having them in charge.
(c)
This section shall not apply to:
(1)
Any person while in his place of abode or curtilage thereof;
(2)
Any police officer, Sergeant, Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff or game warden;
(3)
Any regularly enrolled member of a target shooting organization who
is at or going to or from any established shooting range, provided
that the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;
(4)
Any regularly enrolled member of a weapons collecting organization
who is at or going to or from a bona fide weapons exhibition, provided
that the weapons are unloaded and securely wrapped while being transported;
(5)
Any person carrying such weapons between his place of abode and a
place of purchase or repair, provided the weapons are unloaded and
securely wrapped while being transported;
(6)
Campus police officers appointed pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 23-232
et seq.;
(7)
Any person actually engaged in lawful hunting, as authorized by the
Board of Game and Inland Fisheries, under inclement weather conditions
necessitating temporary protection of his firearm from those conditions;
and
(8)
Any state police officer retired from the Department of State Police
and any local law enforcement officer retired from a Police Department
or Sheriff's Office in the commonwealth with a service disability
or following at least 15 years of service, other than a person terminated
for cause, provided such officer carries with him written proof of
consultation with and favorable review of the need to carry a concealed
weapon issued by the chief law enforcement officer of the agency from
which the officer retired.
(d)
This section shall not apply to the following persons while in the
discharge of their official duties, or while in transit to or from
such duties:
(1)
Carriers of the United States mail;
(2)
Officers or guards of any state correctional institution;
(3)
Conservators of the peace, except that the following conservators
of the peace shall not be permitted to carry a concealed weapon without
obtaining a permit pursuant to state law: notaries public, registrars,
drivers, operators or other persons in charge of any motor vehicle
carrier of passengers for hire, or commissioners in chancery;
(4)
Noncustodial employees of the Department of Corrections designated
to carry weapons by the Director of the Department of Corrections
pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 53.1-29;
(5)
Law enforcement agents of the armed forces of the United States and
federal agents who are authorized to carry weapons by federal law;
and
(6)
Law enforcement agents of the United States Naval Criminal Investigative
Service.
(e)
This section shall not apply to any person who has been granted permission
to carry a concealed weapon pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 18.2-308.
(f)
Any resident of the City who wishes to apply for permission to carry
a concealed weapon pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 18.2-308,
must provide a qualified officer of the City Police Department such
personal descriptive information as is requested by such officer.
The descriptive information shall be forwarded by the Police Department
through the Virginia State Police to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
for a national criminal history record check.
[Code 1962, § 31-1]
If any person shall carry any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger
or other dangerous weapon, without good and sufficient reason, to
a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being
held at such place, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
[Code 1962, § 31-1.1; amended by Ord. No. 92-5, 8-24-1992]
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 18 to carry
or have in his possession while in any public place or upon any public
street or highway a loaded firearm.
(c)
Any person violating this section shall be punishable by a fine of
not more than $100, and the weapon may be forfeited to the commonwealth
pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 18.2-310.
[Code 1962, § 31-2; amended by Ord. No. 92-6, 8-24-1992; Ord. of 6-24-1996; Ord. of 8-26-2002]
(a)
No person shall discharge any firearms within the City; provided
that this prohibition shall not apply to (1) a law enforcement officer
in the discharge of official duties; (2) a person whose actions are
justifiable or excusable in law in the protection of life or property;
(3) a person discharging a weapon at a licensed shooting range or
shooting gallery; (4) a person firing blanks at a theatrical or sporting
event; (5)(A) person legally hunting in that portion of the City north
of Armory Drive and Second Avenue; (B) a person legally hunting deer
in that portion of the City south of Armory Drive and Second Avenue
on no more of two of three days chosen from the third Tuesday in December
and the following Wednesday and Thursday between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 1:00 p.m.; or (C) a person still hunting deer during deer
hunting season in that portion of the City south of Armory Drive and
Second Avenue with access being limited to private gate-accessed road
off South Street or to Amber Street and with the limitation that landowners
may grant permits (which must be in writing) to no more than six persons
per day to still hunt on their property in that area of the City,
any such hunting under (5)(A), (B) or (C) above being with the permission
of the land owner using a shotgun, a pistol or a rifle no more than
.22 caliber at least a distance of 150 yards from any building or
from the property line of a school or park.
(b)
The City Manager have a notice of the dates for deer hunting under
Subsection (a)(5)(B) above published annually in a newspaper having
general circulation in the City two times in the week prior to the
week in which deer hunting may occur thereunder and shall mail or
deliver a copy of such notice to the Chief of Police and the local
game warden.
(c)
Still hunting as used in this section shall mean hunting without
the use of dogs.
[Code 1962, § 31-3]
No person shall discharge, within the corporate limits of the
City, shot, gravel, pellets or any similar substance from a gravel
shooter, air gun or any similar implement.
[Code 1962, § 31-4]
No person shall, in any street, discharge arrows, nails or pellets
from a bow or crossbow.
[Code 1962, § 31-6]
If any person shall sell or barter, or exhibit for sale or for
barter, or give or furnish, or cause to be sold, bartered, given or
furnished, or have in his possession, or under his control, with the
intent of selling, bartering, giving or furnishing, any blackjack,
brass or metal knucks, switchblade knife or like weapon, such person
shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. The having in one's
possession of any such weapon shall be prima facie evidence, except
in the case of a conservator of the peace, of his intent to sell,
barter, give or furnish the same.
[Code 1962, § 31-8]
(a)
No person shall sell, barter, exchange, furnish or dispose of, by
purchase, gift or in any other manner, any toy gun, pistol, rifle
or other toy firearm if the same shall, by means of powder or other
explosive, discharge blank or ball charges. Any person violating the
provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
Each sale of any of the articles hereinbefore specified to any person
shall constitute a separate offense.
(b)
Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing the sale
of what are commonly known as cap pistols.
[Code 1962, § 31-7]
If any person shall sell, barter, give or furnish, or cause
to be sold, bartered, given or furnished, to any person under 18 years
of age, a pistol, dirk or bowie knife, having good cause to believe
him to be under 18 years of age, such person shall be guilty of a
Class 4 misdemeanor.
[Ord. No. 92-7, 8-24-1992]
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to transport, possess or carry
a loaded rifle or shotgun in any vehicle on any public street, road
or highway in the City.
(b)
This section shall not apply to duly authorized law enforcement officers
or military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, nor
to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun
is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment
or business.
(c)
Any person violating this section shall be punishable by a fine of
not more than $100.
