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Charleston County adopts ordinance banning careless or negligent discharge of firearms in unincorporated urban areas
Summary
County council approved an ordinance to prohibit careless or negligent discharge of firearms in certain unincorporated areas, passing third reading unanimously 9–0; supporters described it as a targeted public-safety measure for urban gaps between municipal rules and county jurisdiction.
Charleston County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt an ordinance making careless or negligent discharge of firearms unlawful in specified unincorporated urban areas of the county.
The ordinance adds a new section 14.5-2 to the Charleston County Code of Ordinances that defines the prohibited conduct, provides enforcement penalties and lists exceptions and limitations. Council passed the measure on third reading with a 9–0 recorded vote.
Council members and staff framed the ordinance as a targeted public-safety measure intended to plug regulatory gaps between municipalities that already ban gunfire and unincorporated urban pockets where such rules were not explicit. Councilman Moody said the ordinance was “a smart common sense public safety approach” focused on avoiding impacts in rural areas.
During a public hearing hour earlier in the meeting, members of rural communities testified in opposition to broader limits on shooting on private property, saying negligent discharge is already illegal and that rural residents rely on recreational and property-defensive shooting.
Council’s roll-call votes were recorded as follows: Boykin — Aye; Darby — Aye; Honeycutt — Aye; Kabrowski — Aye; Moody — Aye; Pryor — Aye; Sass — Aye; Wurman — Aye; Middleton — Aye. The ordinance passes third reading with 9 ayes.
The ordinance text will be added to the county code and enforcement procedures handled by county law-enforcement authorities per the ordinance language.
