Central PA girl, 12, shot and killed in eviction dispute

[Chef Eric]

A 12-year-old Central Pennsylvania girl died Monday morning after she was struck by a bullet meant for her father. According to PennLive.com, Ciara Meyer, of Penn Township in Perry County, was shot during an altercation between her father and a constable, who were arguing over an eviction notice.

The website reported that shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, 46-year-old Constable Clarke Steele knocked on the apartment door of 57-year-old Donald Meyer, who answered with a .223 rifle slung over his shoulder.

After a short argument in the doorway, Meyer pointed the rifle at Steele's chest. Steele then pulled his handgun from its holster and shot Meyer in the upper left arm. The bullet went through Meyer's arm, and hit Ciara, who was standing behind her father. Ciara was pronounced dead at the scene, the website reported.

Meyer was charged with aggravated and simple assault, as well as reckless endangerment and making terroristic threats. The website reported that Meyer and his wife, Sherry, owed $1,780.85 in back rent and costs. The landlord delivered a formal complaint against the Meyers on Dec. 3, and then served the eviction notice on Dec. 30.

Source: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Central-Pa-girl-12-shot-and-killed-by-eviction-dispute.html#fMArEhyd03wAdhgs.99

Read more at: http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/01/it_was_absolutely_not_intentio.html#incart_2box

I wonder how important Mr. Meyer thinks his right to bear arms is now, right at this moment.

[happyslug]

1. And where was the family suppose to move to? it is Zero outside right now.

You can say one thing about his case, the father and daughter no longer have a housing problem, she is dead and he is in jail, getting three hots and a cot as my old boss would say.

This is more a product of Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Act. After a hearing, the Tenant has 10 days to move out, or he will be evicted, no matter what the weather is outside or if a minor is a member of the household and they have no place to move to.

Technically, the Tenant has 10 day to appeal the decision of the Magistrate, but to do so he has to post a bond equal to the lesser of rent due or three times the monthly rent as determined by the Magistrate. If no appeal is taken in that 10 day period, the Constable is sent to the rental unit to post another notice that in another 10 days the constable will return and remove the tenants.

That removal can only be stopped by the landlord, who apparently did not care if a 12 year old girl was put out into sub freezing weather.

You may not like it, but present Pa Law bassically put the Tenant and his 12 year old daughter out in the street, in temperatures blow freezing. What would you do if that is the choice you are facing? i.e. trying to delay the eviction to warmer weather or going out into the cold with your 12 year old daughter? Tough choice, easy to attack someone's right to a "Bare Arms" instead of address the issue of housing in cold weather. It would have been better of the Father had just refused to leave the Constable in without using a firearm, but what would have happened if the father did just that? But that is speculation, at least the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, as amended in 1997 was enforced, a 12 year old is dead but that is the price one pays to evict tenants who can no longer pay their rent and have no place else to go to.

[Chef Eric]

2. I don't know what I would do.

But I know what I would NOT do.

I would NOT point a rifle at a policeman's chest. Especially with my daughter directly behind me.

You may not like it, but the most tragic thing about this story, even more tragic than the Landlord and Tenant Act, is the shooting of the girl.