{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-279.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-279.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-279.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-279.html"}],"law_id":62694,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62694,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-279","catch_line":"Discharging firearms or missiles within or at building or dwelling house; penalty","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-66, 18.1-152; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1992, c. 738; 2005, c. 143.","full_text":"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 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 is guilty of murder in the second degree. However, if the homicide is willful, deliberate and premeditated, he is guilty of murder in the first degree.\n\t\tIf any such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person so offending 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 is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. If any person willfully discharges a firearm within or shoots at any school building whether occupied or not, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":228595,"text":"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 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 is guilty of murder in the second degree. However, if the homicide is willful, deliberate and premeditated, he is guilty of murder in the first degree.\n\t\tIf any such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person so offending 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 is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. If any person willfully discharges a firearm within or shoots at any school building whether occupied or not, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13796,"edition_id":1,"name":"Dangerous Use of Firearms or Other Weapons","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12973,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:54","permalink":{"id":166953,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13796,"identifier":"4","token":"18.2\/7\/4","url":"\/18.2\/7\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12973,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Health and Safety","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":166501,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12973,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/7","url":"\/18.2\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":62694,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-279","catch_line":"Discharging firearms or missiles within or at building or dwelling house; penalty","url":"\/18.2-279\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-279","metadata":false},{"id":83677,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-280","catch_line":"Willfully discharging firearms in public places","url":"\/18.2-280\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-280","metadata":false},{"id":86429,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-281","catch_line":"Setting spring gun or other deadly weapon","url":"\/18.2-281\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-281","metadata":false},{"id":73757,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-282","catch_line":"Pointing, holding, or brandishing firearm, air or gas operated weapon or object similar in appearance; penalty","url":"\/18.2-282\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-282","metadata":false},{"id":54804,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-282.1","catch_line":"Brandishing a machete or other bladed weapon with intent to intimidate; penalty","url":"\/18.2-282.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-282.1","metadata":false},{"id":71593,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-283","catch_line":"Carrying dangerous weapon to place of religious worship","url":"\/18.2-283\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-283","metadata":false},{"id":60587,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-283.1","catch_line":"Carrying weapon into courthouse","url":"\/18.2-283.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-283.1","metadata":false},{"id":80457,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-283.2","catch_line":"Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty","url":"\/18.2-283.2\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-283.2","metadata":false},{"id":55012,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-284","catch_line":"Selling or giving toy firearms","url":"\/18.2-284\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-284","metadata":false},{"id":72975,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-285","catch_line":"Hunting with firearms while under influence of intoxicant or narcotic drug; penalty","url":"\/18.2-285\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-285","metadata":false},{"id":58111,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-286","catch_line":"Shooting in or across road or in street","url":"\/18.2-286\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-286","metadata":false},{"id":86343,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-286.1","catch_line":"Shooting from vehicles so as to endanger persons; penalty","url":"\/18.2-286.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-286.1","metadata":false},{"id":79205,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-287\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287","metadata":false},{"id":70707,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.01","catch_line":"Carrying weapon in air carrier airport terminal","url":"\/18.2-287.01\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.01","metadata":false},{"id":77735,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-287.1\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.1","metadata":false},{"id":66302,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.2","catch_line":"Wearing of body armor while committing a crime; penalty","url":"\/18.2-287.2\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.2","metadata":false},{"id":67438,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-287.3\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.3","metadata":false},{"id":74480,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.4","catch_line":"Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty","url":"\/18.2-287.4\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.4","metadata":false},{"id":71320,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-287.5","catch_line":"Reporting lost or stolen firearms; civil penalty","url":"\/18.2-287.5\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-287.5","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":83677,"structure_id":13796,"section_number":"18.2-280","catch_line":"Willfully discharging firearms in public places","url":"\/18.2-280\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-280","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-279\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1992, chapter 738; in 2005, chapter 143<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85083,"section_number":"15.2-907","catch_line":"Authority to require removal, repair, etc., of buildings and other structures harboring illegal drug use or other criminal activity","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-907\/"},{"id":57160,"section_number":"16.1-260","catch_line":"Intake; petition; investigation","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-260\/"},{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":70367,"section_number":"18.2-311.2","catch_line":"Third conviction of firearm offenses; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-311.2\/"},{"id":68291,"section_number":"18.2-513","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-513\/"},{"id":61280,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"},{"id":78541,"section_number":"19.2-83.1","catch_line":"Report of arrest of school employees and adult students for certain offenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-83.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":166955,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62694,"identifier":"18.2-279","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-279","url":"\/18.2-279\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-279\/","token":"18.2\/7\/4\/18.2-279","dublin_core":{"Title":"Discharging firearms or missiles within or at building or dwelling house; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-279","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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 is guilty of a Class 4 felony<\/span>. In the event of the death of any person, resulting from such malicious<\/span> shooting or throwing, the person so offending is guilty of murder<\/span> in the second degree. However, if the homicide<\/span> is willful, deliberate and premeditated, he is guilty of murder<\/span> in the first degree.\n\t\tIf any such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person so offending is guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span>; and, in the event of the death of any person resulting from such unlawful shooting or throwing, the person so offending is guilty of involuntary manslaughter<\/span>. If any person willfully discharges a firearm within or shoots at any school building whether occupied or not, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISCHARGING FIREARMS OR MISSILES WITHIN OR AT BUILDING OR DWELLING HOUSE;\nPENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-279)\n\nIf any person maliciously discharges a firearm within any building when occupied\nby one or more persons in such a manner as to endanger the life or lives of such\nperson or persons, or maliciously shoots at, or maliciously throws any missile\nat or against any dwelling house or other building when occupied by one or more\npersons, whereby the life or lives of any such person or persons may be put in\nperil, the person so offending is guilty of a Class 4 felony. In the event of\nthe death of any person, resulting from such malicious shooting or throwing, the\nperson so offending is guilty of murder in the second degree. However, if the\nhomicide is willful, deliberate and premeditated, he is guilty of murder in the\nfirst degree.\n\t\tIf any such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the person so\noffending is guilty of a Class 6 felony; and, in the event of the death of any\nperson resulting from such unlawful shooting or throwing, the person so\noffending is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. If any person willfully\ndischarges a firearm within or shoots at any school building whether occupied or\nnot, he is guilty of a Class 4 felony.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-66, 18.1-152; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15;\n1992, c. 738; 2005, c. 143.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}