Honor Roll student suspended for having hunting rifle in her trunk

**jmur5074** · 12-10-10, 03:04 AM

On the morning of Dec.1, Demari DeReu drove to Columbia Falls High School in Montana and parked her blue-green Honda Accord in the lot, just as she does every morning. The 16-year-old honor roll student, class treasurer and varsity cheerleader walked in to school, forgetting entirely about the unloaded hunting rifle locked in the trunk of her car.
Later that day, there was an announcement telling students contraband sniffing dogs were scouting the parking lot, sparking her memory. She immediately told administrators that she’d forgotten to remove her scoped hunting rifle from the trunk following a Thanksgiving family hunting excursion.
She was suspended from school for violating federal and state gun laws.

Read more: Montana Honor Student Faces Expulsion for Leaving Hunting Rifle in Car While at School - FoxNews.com

What's your take on this?

**pac201** · 12-10-10, 07:12 AM

Typical kneejerk response...

**Second Chance** · 12-10-10, 08:17 AM

That is what happens when you don't take every case by a case by case basis........typical reaction from our society that has lost how to actually sit down and reason on each case on it's own merit. It's been going down hill for many years know and it's not going to get any better..............

**Standard Dave** · 12-10-10, 08:55 AM

I'm unsure how you could forget about the location of a hunting rifle

Does anyone know what the situation with storage of rifles and other large weapons in the state where this occured? (are they supposed to be locked into a cabinet in a suitable building when not in use or can they just be left loose in a motor vehicle where they could easily be stolen etc).

**Five-0** · 12-10-10, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Standard Dave

I'm unsure how you could forget about the location of a hunting rifle

Does anyone know what the situation with storage of rifles and other large weapons in the state where this occured? (are they supposed to be locked into a cabinet in a suitable building when not in use or can they just be left loose in a motor vehicle where they could easily be stolen etc).

Real easy. When you look at guns as tools and not evil weapons of destruction used by the anti-Christ I could see it happening. Especially during hunting seasons in my area of the country. In some colleges in south AL I knew friends that scheduled all of their classes in the morning so they could be in the woods right after lunch. Guess what they had in their cars. Then again, I had an accounting teacher in high school that carried a .38 revolover on his person. I know this is a difference in culture so please don't take my reply the wrong way.

**gopherpuckfan** · 12-10-10, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Standard Dave

I'm unsure how you could forget about the location of a hunting rifle

Does anyone know what the situation with storage of rifles and other large weapons in the state where this occured? (are they supposed to be locked into a cabinet in a suitable building when not in use or can they just be left loose in a motor vehicle where they could easily be stolen etc).

This is Montana. One of the largest states in the nation, very rural and mountainous. There are less than a million people in the entire state. Hunting is a way of life out there and it shouldn't be unusual at all for someone to have a hunting rifle in their vehicle. Montana prohibits firearm possession by ANY child under the age of 14 unless they are accompanied by a parent or other "approved" adult, so the girl in this case could legally possess the rifle. Unfortunately she ran afoul of laws regarding possession on school grounds, rules that I hate when they are enforced in a "Zero Tolerance" setting.

In Minnesota, we have 2 million people just in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and we only require that rifles are cased and unloaded (or just unloaded if it's in the enclosed trunk of a vehicle). At home, a person can be charged with a crime if their firearm was obtained by a juvenile who used it to commit a crime or suicide. This basically means get a locked gun safe. Persons under the age of 18 may not possess ANY handgun. Under 16 may not possess a rifle unless they are age 14 or older and have a Department of Natural Resources Firearms Safety Certificate.

**Twan007** · 12-10-10, 10:46 AM

I was having this discussion with a friend of mine at work the other day...

I grew up in a rural setting - and, as said in earlier posts in this thread, this time of year is hunting season - in the morning we'd wake up, go hunting, then come to school...

the firearm free zone laws have not changed since I was in school... just the "freak out" factor... we'd have guys with their hunting rifles/shotguns behind their seats, in the rear glass, in the trunk, where ever...

as long as that puppy stayed in the parking lot, that was a wrap...

but like I said... that was a few years before Columbine and such...

**Standard Dave** · 12-10-10, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Five-0

Real easy. When you look at guns as tools and not evil weapons of destruction used by the anti-Christ I could see it happening. Especially during hunting seasons in my area of the country. In some colleges in south AL I knew friends that scheduled all of their classes in the morning so they could be in the woods right after lunch. Guess what they had in their cars. Then again, I had an accounting teacher in high school that carried a .38 revolover on his person. I know this is a difference in culture so please don't take my reply the wrong way.

Do you know where your firearms are though? and what is in the boot of your car?

It sounds like a case of her or which ever family member left it there being a bit slack with there firearm safety.
How much would a weapon of this type cost? (I wouldn't leave a digital camera, laptop, sat nav etc in my car through fear of it geting stolen).

**Cidp24** · 12-10-10, 11:07 AM

I know that this was 35-40 years ago, before all the active shooters and increased auto burglaries, but I went to a rural school, 1-12, and there were rifles clearly visible in gun racks of most of the students trucks parked in the parking lot. I routinely carried guns in my vehicle from age 15 up, and never had a problem. I can also completely understand the oversight on the part of the kid or parents.

Times change.

**Jks9199** · 12-10-10, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Five-0

Real easy. When you look at guns as tools and not evil weapons of destruction used by the anti-Christ I could see it happening. Especially during hunting seasons in my area of the country. In some colleges in south AL I knew friends that scheduled all of their classes in the morning so they could be in the woods right after lunch. Guess what they had in their cars. Then again, I had an accounting teacher in high school that carried a .38 revolover on his person. I know this is a difference in culture so please don't take my reply the wrong way.

Yep, she'd have been fine in Virginia.

The most that should have happened here was a token punishment. She turned herself in, the gun was unloaded and secured... I can understand that she broke the rules and needs to be punished -- but given the totality of the circumstances, the punishment should be pretty light.

**Five-0** · 12-10-10, 11:15 AM

Personally I know where every firearm I own is located yes. Under the cirmcumstances in the story, unloaded and in the trunk would be a safe place in my opinion. It would be legal in my state as well outside of the school zone. Granted my state laws only apply to handguns concealed in a vehicle. If that was a handgun it would be good. The only thing making this an issue is the school zone. Given the circumstances I would not make an issue of this as an LEO. I would tell them to take the gun home. If the school gave the student any static I would tell them they were following a lawful order. As far as the cost goes it varies greatly. My family bought me my first deer rifle (scoped lever action .243) for $225. As far as leaving items in a vehicle the trunk is the safest place for guns, laptops or cameras. Out of sight and no windows.

**MacLean** · 12-10-10, 11:55 AM

I think she learned a lesson about keeping track of her guns that will endure.

The shortest possible suspension of one day would satisfy the legal requirement for her "expulsion."

Notice she wasn't charged with any crime.

**ms1600** · 12-10-10, 02:47 PM

I think everything should be a case by case basis. Like others said, a typical knee jerk reaction.

I went to school on Eielson AFB and we knew that our cars could be searched just going through the gate to get on base. Several kids got expelled for drugs and probably affected their parents careers.

**cntryboy0531** · 12-10-10, 05:43 PM

I think a light punishment should be dished out, soley on the irresponsibility of forgetting you have a gun in the vehicle. It's irresponsible, no other way about it. You should know where you're firearms are at, at all times. I have quite a few, and I can tell you where I have every one of them at, at all times. And I keep them in different places through out my house and vehicle.

**121Traffic** · 12-10-10, 06:48 PM

So it looks like the school board hasn't ruled yet. It's clear that per Federal law, some action is needed. I agree with most here that says this is an oversight, and some light discipline should be involved. Maybe a one-day suspension. But to ruin a good kid's future with a lengthy expulsion, plowing her off the Honor Roll, having her lose her good-standing in a varsity sport, etc., that would seem a bit overboard. Is that the message we want to convey? Work hard, study, have ambitions for life, but make one bone-headed mistake (that she admitted to before even being confronted about, no less), and we'll ruin your life? Has anyone honestly heard of someone serving a year-long expulsion and still staying on track to go to a competitive university? These laws were originally enacted with the hopes of protecting our children's future (you would think), yet they are used all the time to spoil a good kid's rising star. Ridiculous.

**Thirdwatch** · 12-29-10, 01:46 PM

This is a C'mon Man! moment, The girl makes an honest mistake and she informs school admin about her rifle in her trunk. She has clean track record and a role model student and somebody strikes the hammer of Thor on her giving her a suspension. C'mon Man![IMG]

[/IMG]

**ChesCopPodz** · 12-29-10, 08:06 PM

I didn't vote. I couldn't find the "Complete BS" option.

I went to high school from 98-01. Right during Columbine and the other school shootings. Hell, one of the first nationally televised school shootings happened a middle school 10 miles away from where I went to school (Google the John Gillette shooting) in 1998. And common sense still reigned in my little rural town high school. Hunting rifles in trucks and cars during hunting season were the norm rather than the exception.

In rural Montana, during hunting season, common sense should be applied. Maybe if it weren't hunting season, questions should be asked, but come on.