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gun free zones

Mr Birdman

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
209
Location
United States
I have a question about the gun free zones. Yesterday I was in Pittsburgh's Station Square. I had a nice dinner with my family and walked around a bit while O/Cing. I had one nice comment about my Glock, and on the way out I saw a sign about the Code of conduct while on Station Square property. Rule #5 says NO FIREARMS ALLOWED. If I was caught by the right person could I have been charged with trespassing or only if I refused to leave? I covered up and left soon thereafter.
 

jackrockblc

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
256
Location
Jefferson County, CO
I have a question about the gun free zones. Yesterday I was in Pittsburgh's Station Square. I had a nice dinner with my family and walked around a bit while O/Cing. I had one nice comment about my Glock, and on the way out I saw a sign about the Code of conduct while on Station Square property. Rule #5 says NO FIREARMS ALLOWED. If I was caught by the right person could I have been charged with trespassing or only if I refused to leave? I covered up and left soon thereafter.

A general response only - not with the experience of PA legal interpretation.

In my state, trespassing is only such once the owner/controller of the property has asked you to leave (assuming it's generally a relatively public area to begin with, like a store). So it's not trespassing until asked to leave. However, this seems to vary from state to state, so I suggest seeing if you can find the PA statutes on trespassing.

A quick review of HandgunLaw's website for PA seems to back this up.
 

Steve in PA

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
158
Location
Somewhere in PA
Some legal beagles will say that because of the "no guns" sign, this means you do not have permission to be on the property and are therefore trespassing. However, I have never seen anyone charged based on this. Now, if asked to leave the property and you refuse, then you are definitely trespassing.

No one is ever charged with trespassing when they violate the "no running" signs often seen in malls, etc. Same as with "no smoking, no this or that", etc.
 

Statkowski

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
1,141
Location
Cherry Tree (Indiana County), Pennsylvania, USA
When necessary, just remember that CONCEALED MEANS CONCEALED. No, you won't be breaking any law (unless, of course, you don't have an LTCF), but if they're stupid enough to put up a silly sign that won't stop any miscreant, then it's incumbent upon you not to get them upset.

P.S. We've got a locally-owned Giant Eagle franchise here with those stupid signs. I do my best to keep them ignorant of reality.

P.P.S. The locally-owned BiLo franchise has no problem whatsoever with me OCing there.
 
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