Description
I don't really like having a gun club right behind my house--I can hear the guns constantly. It took me a while to know what it was, having lived there for years. I also notice that when people leave they empty their pockets of their spent ammo on the street, bullet casings all over the place. I think it doesn't belong in a residential area. Now with the recent attempted suicide, this isn't the first time something awful has happened here and others in the city. I know it doesn't happen often but still I don't think it belongs in a residential area. We had some issues with this building anyway, cleaning up and trash etc and they have done better but the noise which is constant and now the attempted suicide, it just isn't safe. You can just go there and get a gun and ammo. One young man went into a bathroom at another place and died. you can just walk around with your gun? you can borrow guns there?
Suicide attempt fails at South Philadelphia gun range
By Phillip Lucas
Daily News Staff Writer
Philadelphia Daily News
A 26-YEAR-OLD man remains in critical condition after attempting suicide at the Philadelphia Archery and Gun Club in South Philadelphia Monday afternoon, police said.
Police and medics responded to the club on Ellsworth Street near 9th about 1:45 p.m. The unidentified man shot himself in his head, and was taken by medics to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said Officer Tanya Little, a Police Department spokeswoman.
Employees at the shop Tuesday night spoke over the sound of guns being fired in the background, and said they were unaware of anyone being injured there on Monday afternoon. However, neighbors took to an online message board to ask each other why police cars and ambulances were outside the club Monday afternoon.
At least two other people have gone to a gun range to commit suicide in the area within the past year.
Last Aug. 22, a 22-year-old West Chester man shot himself in the head at the Targetmaster Indoor Firearm Range and Gun Shop on Wilmington-West Chester Pike in Concord Township. And on Feb. 14, a 25-year-old man killed himself in the restroom at the same club. n
27 Comments
scully (Guest)
Are you serious? You moved into your house without realizing a gun club was directly behind it?
A gun club is not inherently dangerous. The laws of this state make it perfectly legal to purchase and own a firearm.
I have been to this gun club and the staff is beyond professional. Most people who belong know how to properly use their weapons.
It's not the club's fault that you didn't do your research before you moved into your house. Guns are loud!
pearlgrl (Guest)
Well Scully, I didn't think it would be heard from more than one street away. Is that naive? I don't use guns or know much about them, don't really want to and I thought in a residential area the city probably had laws making it basically sound proof. I was wrong and I find it and so do other a total nuisance. It doesn't belong in a residential, highly populated residential area. There are tons of places, north of us, south of us where it would fit in just fine without houses. that still doesn't explain the casings all over. I guess that's ok? Clearly this place moved in before all the committees were created because there is no way Passyunk Square and others would have voted yes to that zoning.
Chris T.
The gun club's not going anywhere. Pics of the casings or it didn't happen.
pearlgrl (Guest)
will take photos. I thought casings were valuable because they are brass and people can reuse them.........
scully (Guest)
Why does it "not belong in a residential, highly populated area?" The club is providing a LEGAL service and beside this one tragic case, has had no problems.
The staff is not throwing casings on the street, trust me. They can be recycled/traded in for money.
pearlgrl (Guest)
also Scully was I supposed to spend the night near the gun club before I bought my house to see if it was loud? I don't live next door to it, which I would never do. But I hear lots of things where I live--I do recognize that I live in the city. Where do you live? Surely not near the gun club. So understand where I am coming from in that it is a nuisance.
pearlgrl (Guest)
It is legal and provides a service but it doesn't belong in a residential area for the noise. I don't care so much if that is how someone chooses to kill themselves. No reason it was placed there. Could totally be someplace else without bothering people.
scully (Guest)
They aren't open at night- your point is not valid.
pearlgrl (Guest)
What? They are too. They shoot till at least 9pm, so you have no idea what you are talking about. Mr. Philadelphia.
scully (Guest)
According to the Philadelphia Noise Ordinance, they are in compliance.
http://www.phila.gov/health/pdfs/air/Noise_Bill_050749.pdf
Perhaps you should invest in a decibel meter?
pearlgrl (Guest)
You are very resourceful.
Maureen Deeney Goldsmith
I'm really surprised by the complaint about the gun club. I've never shot a gun, but bought a Living Social deal for this club (to be used sometime soon) because it has such a great reputation. I'm very pleased to read in the comments that others thought this complaint was as ridiculous as I thought. Any place you live in the city is going to have a lot of noise, gun club or not. This is not the only gun club in such a neighborhood. Also, it's the Italian Market! Not exactly a purely residential area.
scully (Guest)
Maureen, thanks for the support. Pearlgrl doesn't event have a legitimate complaint.
Pearlgrl (Guest)
I much prefer the Italian market over the gun club. Don't think my complaint is at all ridiculous, and using ridiculous to describe the complaint is really dramatic. I am entitled to have an opinion and unless you live on my street you really don't know what I am saying. So glad you two agree but you should understand what I was saying re the placement of this place. I love where I live aside from the gun club. Perhaps my post has brought you two together....a match was made here because you both seem slightly attacking and off. I do have a leg to stand on since it is my opinion and come others on my street agree too, and it is a residential area. The Italian market isn't nearly the same nuisance and it is also residential as people live in the market.
Chris T.
This is the worst kind of NIMBY-ism. The gun club was there before you were and it will be there after you're gone. Had you been there first and the gun club wanted to move in behind you, you would have had a legitimate gripe and legal standing to challenge its placement. But YOU CHOSE to live near a gun club. It's not their fault that you didn't realize that's what you were choosing. Sorry.
Maureen Deeney Goldsmith
Sorry Pearlgrl, I still don't think you have a legitimate argument. This place has been there for DECADES. Police practice there.
Furthermore, how do you not research where you will choose to live? I live off of "2 Street" and knew very well going into it that I would have a @#$% of a New Year's Day each year. I certainly did not expect the Mummers to leave the area just because I bought a house here and found the noise and garbage on that day a nuisance.
pearlgrl (Guest)
You people need to get a life. So many of you are trolling just to bash people. I am entitled to my opinion. I didn't say it was unbearable or I had to move because of it. I have lived in the house for 10 years and my house has tripled in value and I live on a desirable street and will have no trouble selling. I was just stating my opinion about it and that I find it annoying--I just made a point after the suicide and still feel 100% that where it is located is not ideal.
For Maureen, I would much prefer 5 Italian markets over one gun club. I think the market has charm whereas I feel a gun club really to me (again my opinion) is a bit lower class. I'm sure I'll get tons of comments for that but that is my opinion.
pearlgrl (Guest)
If you live off 2nd then you are far more used to nuisances than I am. I did my research, I guess I was supposed to sleep someplace near by to know the noise level?? We can't all be as perfect as you I guess.--I just thought it would be more noise proof, again, it isn't a catastrophe. I'm incredibly sorry I posted on this site.
Clearly it isn't a friendly place where you can have an opinion. I think you should all re-read my post I mean, I was just stating that it can be annoying. Good grief.
pearlgrl (Guest)
Also why do I care if police practice there? Doesn't that make it ok or less annoying? Why don't they practice at their station on 11th? They should have a range at the station--at any rate, I still stand by my opinion that it isn't in the best location. Not sure why that is such a wrong opinion.
I hope many of you attend your local civic association meetings because many times neighbors try to vote out some places that are nuisances or vote they don't open up shop and you guys seem like anything goes. If a business was there before you were then its ok? No one is saying they should move out--but why can't people say its annoying?
scully (Guest)
"but why can't people say its annoying?"
Because you have no argument. Have you even looked around at what this site is for? Blighted properties, crumbling homes, L&I violations...actual problems with clear solutions. This site is not for whining. There is no solution to your problem.
"I didn't say it was unbearable or I had to move because of it. I have lived in the house for 10 years and my house has tripled in value and I live on a desirable street and will have no trouble selling."
So then why are you complaining?
"I feel a gun club really to me (again my opinion) is a bit lower class."
First you don't like the noise, now you think a gun club is "lower class." Which is it? What exactly do you mean by "lower class?"
Maureen Deeney Goldsmith
I never troll sites. I feel that you are personally attacking me at this point. I never made any mention of your character and you have of mine more than once. This site is for reporting actual nuisances, not giving opinions. You thought you were going to receive sympathy; didn't; and now you are hating on all of us. Maybe you should have posted on another site.
I assure you I am not a member of the NRA. I support Mayors against Guns. Your argument just does not hold water - it doesn't matter if it were a gun club, a pet store, a strip club, a church with a loud choir on Sunday mornings. Your opinion does not belong on this site. Just as Scully states below.
Closed pearlgrl (Guest)
not a pleasant place to post issues
pearlgrl (Guest)
Are you the police of this site? Also I posted about the suicide there--and that started all of this.
So that is an issue for the area. Whether it happens often or not, it is an issue. The neighbors were all outside and blogging on other sites about it and wondering why all the police were there--it was an issue so you don't really know what it was like that day--
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Maureen Deeney Goldsmith
I am not the police of this site. I haven't posted anything that is wrong or disrespectful. It's just that none of us agree that this issue belonged on this site. While a suicide is certainly distressing, if someone purchased rope at Lowe's and then hanged him/herself in the parking lot, should Lowe's be shut down? Sadly, if someone really wants to kill themselves they will find a way. I am sorry it happened in a business in your neighborhood.
Also, you had previously said that my neighborhood (off of 2nd) would have more annoyances. The only day is New Year's Day, and that's because people from all over come here to see the Mummers. Every other day of the year it's a terrific neighborhood to live in - it's all pretty much families. I am fortunate that my stepson's mother is a Philadelphia detective and was able to give me insight into all of the neighborhoods I looked at.
pearlgrl (Guest)
This issue was closed--I think this issue did belong on the site because it was an article which discussed similar instances at other clubs. I've since talked to other neighbors and they have strong feelings about this club in the area. Whether or not any other people are killed there, or take their own lives, it is still an issue to those of us that live very close. So it was a relevant discussion or I should say, could have been--I posted my opinion and others just took it upon themselves to say my opinion was valid and my argument was ridiculous. I believe utterly ridiculous was used.
Having said that, not all of us are lucky enough to have a police detective to tell us about the area where we might move/live. Also I would never have lived on 2nd street personally as I knew surely about the mummers but also there is a tavern on every block and that surely isn't a place I would ever want to live. Most of us from the area, and I grew up here, know far well about 2 street and even when not new years, it is rowdy. Again, I don't want a bar on almost every block--I will gladly take a gun club over that!