Outrage of the Week

This week's outrage comes to us from New Jersey, where a father's Facebook photo post of his son holding his birthday present--a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle--resulted in a visit and attempted home search by police and the New Jersey Department of Youth and Family Services.

As reported in a story on TheBlaze.com, the situation came to the attention of the media as a result of a posting by Shawn Moore on the "Delaware Open Carry” forum titled, “The fight has officially been brought to my front door.” 

TheBlaze.com story notes that, on the evening of Friday, March 15, two representatives from the state’s social services office, and four local police officers, came to Shawn Moore's home and demanded to see the family’s firearms.

The story further notes what Moore alleged on the "Delaware Open Carry" forum:

•New Jersey’s Department of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) came to his home, accompanied by police officers. They claimed to be responding to a call about a photo of a young boy holding a firearm. (photo above)

•Without a search warrant, DYFS demanded entry into Moore’s home and access to all of his firearms. Moore was not initially there, but his wife called him.

•With his lawyer listening to the exchange on the phone with police and DYFS, Moore denied entry to his home and access to his safe where he stores his guns.

•When Moore requested the name of the DYFS representative, she refused to give it to him.

•After threatening to “take my kids,” the police and Family Services worker left — “empty handed and seeing nothing.”

According to Moore’s well-known New Jersey firearm lawyer, Evan Nappen--who was listening to the entire incident via Moore’s speaker phone--the situation was “outrageous.”

In an interview with TheBlaze, Nappen added the following additional details:

•The DYFS worker repeatedly demanded access to the house and for Moore to open his safe where the firearms were stored. She said that the guns should be catalogued and checked to make certain they were “properly registered.” (New Jersey does not require registration, it is voluntary.)

•The four police officers acted professionally; they were there at the request of DYFS.

•The worker refused to identify herself. Mr. Moore demanded that she give her name. She refused and ran away.

(To listen to a NRA News interview with Evan Nappen, please click here.)

Fortunately, and rightly, it has been announced that no charges will be filed against Mr. Moore.  Still, the event was outrageous and unfortunate.  As Mr. Nappen noted in an Associated Press article, "This is a shame because of the impact it has on a really good dad and his son.  No one was in danger."