SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2005 SESSION
054370348Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 18.2-154 and 18.2-279 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 18.2-154. Shooting at or throwing missiles, etc., at train, car, vessel, etc.; penalty.
Any person who maliciously shoots at, or maliciously throws
any missile at or against, any train or cars on any railroad or other
transportation company or any vessel or other watercraft, or any motor vehicle
or other vehicles when occupied by one or more persons, whereby the life of any
person on such train, car, vessel, or other watercraft, or in such motor
vehicle or other vehicle, may be put in peril, shall be is guilty
of a Class 4 felony. In the event of the death of any such person, resulting
from such malicious shooting or throwing, the person so offending shall
be deemed is guilty of murder, the degree to be
determined by the jury or the court trying the case without a jury in the
second degree. However, if the homicide is willful, deliberate and premeditated, he
is guilty of murder in the
first degree.
If any such act is committed unlawfully, but not maliciously,
the person so offending shall be is
guilty of a Class 6 felony and, in the event of the death of any such person,
resulting from such unlawful act, the person so offending shall
be deemed is guilty of involuntary
manslaughter.
If any person commits a violation of this section by maliciously or unlawfully shooting, with a firearm, at a conspicuously marked law-enforcement, fire or rescue squad vehicle, ambulance or any other emergency medical vehicle, the sentence imposed shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year.
§ 18.2-279. Discharging firearms or missiles within or at building or dwelling house; penalty.
If any person maliciously discharges a firearm within any
building when occupied by one or more persons in such a manner as to endanger
the life or lives of such person or persons, or maliciously shoots at, or
maliciously throws any missile at or against any dwelling house or other
building when occupied by one or more persons, whereby the life or lives of any
such person or persons may be put in peril, the person so offending shall
be is guilty of a Class 4 felony. In the
event of the death of any person, resulting from such malicious shooting or
throwing, the person so offending shall be is guilty
of murder, the degree to be determined by the jury or the
court trying the case without a jury in the second degree.
However,
if the homicide is willful, deliberate and
premeditated, he is guilty of
murder in the first degree.
If any such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the
person so offending shall be is guilty
of a Class 6 felony; and, in the event of the death of any person resulting
from such unlawful shooting or throwing, the person so offending shall
be is guilty of involuntary
manslaughter. If any person willfully discharges a firearm within or shoots at
any school building whether occupied or not, he shall
be is guilty of a Class 4 felony.