Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 269 - Crimes Against Public Peace
Section 12e - Discharge of a Firearm Within 500 Feet of a Dwelling or Other Building in Use; Exceptions

Section 12E. Whoever discharges a firearm as defined in section one hundred and twenty-one of chapter one hundred and forty, a rifle or shotgun within five hundred feet of a dwelling or other building in use, except with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than three months, or both. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (a) the lawful defense of life and property; (b) any law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his duties; (c) persons using underground or indoor target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant thereof; (d) persons using outdoor skeet, trap, target or test ranges with the consent of the owner or legal occupant of the land on which the range is established; (e) persons using shooting galleries, licensed and defined under the provisions of section fifty-six A of chapter one hundred and forty; and (f) the discharge of blank cartridges for theatrical, athletic, ceremonial, firing squad, or other purposes in accordance with section thirty-nine of chapter one hundred and forty-eight.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part IV - Crimes, Punishments and Proceedings in Criminal Cases

Title I - Crimes and Punishments

Chapter 269 - Crimes Against Public Peace

Section 1 - Dispensing and Suppressing Unlawful Assembly; Arresting Persons

Section 2 - Refusing or Neglecting to Depart or to Assist in Suppressing Assembly or in Arresting Persons

Section 3 - Neglect or Refusal to Exercise Authority to Suppress Assembly

Section 4 - Requiring Aid; Dispersing and Suppressing Assembly; Seizure of Persons

Section 5 - Armed Forces Obeying Orders for Suppressing Riot and Dispersing and Arresting Persons

Section 6 - Person Killed or Wounded as Result of an Assembly; Guilt and Responsibility

Section 7 - Injury to Building or Vessel by Persons Unlawfully Assembled

Section 8 - Destruction of or Damage to Property by Persons Riotously Assembled; Liability of Town

Section 10 - Carrying Dangerous Weapons; Possession of Machine Gun or Sawed-Off Shotguns; Possession of Large Capacity Weapon or Large Capacity Feeding Device; Punishment

Section 10a - Selling, Giving or Using Silencers; Confiscation and Destruction

Section 10c - Tear Gas; Use in Commission of Crimes

Section 10d - Body Armor; Use in Commission of Crime

Section 10e - Firearms Sales, Distributions or Transfers; Penalties; Eligibility for Probation, Parole, Furlough or Work Release

Section 10f - Illegal Sale, Gifts or Transfer of Large Capacity Weapons or Large Capacity Feeding Devices; Punishment

Section 10g - Violations of Sec. 10 by Persons Previously Convicted of Violent Crimes or Serious Drug Offenses; Punishment

Section 10h - Carrying Loaded Firearm While Under Influence of Liquor, Marijuana, Narcotic Drugs, Depressants, Stimulant or Toxic Vapor Substances; Punishment

Section 10i - Transporting Firearm, Rifle, Shotgun, Machine Gun or Sawed-Off Shotgun Into Commonwealth for Use in Commission of Criminal Activity or to Unlawfully Distribute, Sell or Transfer Possession to Prohibited Person; Penalty

Section 10j - Breaking and Entering Building, Ship, Vessel or Vehicle to Steal Firearm; Penalty

Section 10k - Breaking and Entering Building in Which Firearm Retailer, Wholesaler or Manufacturer Conducts Business; Unlawfully Obtaining or Distributing Firearm, Rifle, Shotgun, Machine Gun or Ammunition; Punishment

Section 11 - Printing Statutes for Posters; Display

Section 11a - Definitions

Section 11b - Possession or Control of Firearm With Serial or Identification Number Removed or Mutilated, While Committing or Attempting a Felony; Destruction

Section 11c - Removal or Mutilation of Serial or Identification Numbers of Firearms; Receiving Such Firearm; Destruction

Section 11e - Serial Identification Numbers on Firearms

Section 12 - Manufacturing and Selling Knives, Slung Shots, Swords, Bludgeons and Similar Weapons

Section 12a - Air Rifles; Sale to Minors

Section 12b - Air Rifles; Possession by Minors; Shooting

Section 12d - Rifle or Shotgun Loaded With Shells or Cartridges; Unloaded Rifle or Shotgun; Carrying on Public Way Prohibited; Exceptions; Punishment

Section 12e - Discharge of a Firearm Within 500 Feet of a Dwelling or Other Building in Use; Exceptions

Section 12f - Airport Secure Areas; Possession or Placement of a Cutting Device or Prohibited Weapon; Punishment

Section 13 - False Alarms of Fire

Section 13a - False Reports to Police Officers

Section 14 - Deadly Weapons, Explosives, Chemical or Biological Agents, or Other Deadly Device or Substance; Threatened Use or Presence; Threat to Hijack; Disruption of School, Public Building or Transport; Punishment; Restitution

Section 14a - Annoying Telephone Calls or Electronic Communication

Section 14b - Willful and Malicious Communication of False Information to Public Safety Answering Points; Penalty; Restitution

Section 15 - Stink Bombs; Sale

Section 16 - Arrowheads Used for Hunting; Sale

Section 17 - Hazing; Organizing or Participating; Hazing Defined

Section 18 - Failure to Report Hazing

Section 19 - Copy of Secs. 17 to 19; Issuance to Students and Student Groups, Teams and Organizations; Report