Neighbors fear stray bullets from gun range are endangering their families
By Annette Gutierrez
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DADE CITY, Florida (WFTS) — Residents living behind the Dade City Gun Club said ricochet bullets are landing on their property, raising safety concerns for children playing in their yards.
Steven Hobbs, who owns property on Hobbs Road directly behind the gun range, said bullets have been a constant problem during the nearly 60 years he has lived there.
“You don’t mistake the sound of a ricocheting bullet,” Hobbs said.
A viewer contacted our newsroom with concerns about the gun range, writing in part: “I have a 2-year-old that plays out in the yard, I am fearful for her of getting hit by a stray bullet.”
Hobbs said bullets regularly ricochet and hit trees and property in the area. About 30 years ago, he said one killed his horse.
“My mom had the horse fenced off from the garden, she was down there picking peas, and she come up and say son, something is wrong with your horse, so I went down there and sure enough, he was dead,” Hobbs said.
Last week, Hobbs said he and his son-in-law witnessed another close call.
“We were standing right over there where my brother’s camper is, me and my son-in-law, and, they were shooting and we heard it hit the tree limb and then it fell right down on our feet,” Hobbs said. “I mean it wouldn’t have hurt you because they hit the limb first and then come down but it was like there on the ground between me and him.”
Hobbs said he has called the sheriff’s office multiple times to investigate, but nothing has been done.
“Pretty frustrating, but you know you live here all your life, you just kind of get used to it,” Hobbs said.
The safety concerns are particularly worrying for families with children. Hobbs said he has to keep his grandkids from going in the backyard.
“I got one of my grandson [who] is autistic. He likes to be out in the yard all the time, but you don’t want to let him in the back, so we try to keep him in the front,” Hobbs said. “It gets aggravating.”
Pasco County officials said the last complaint code compliance received about the Dade City Gun Club was in October of last year, about a noise ordinance violation.
Statement from Pasco County Sheriff’s Office:
“The last complaint we received was for a noise complaint in 2024. Pasco Sheriff’s Office takes all reports very seriously and investigates all complaints we are made aware of.”
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