Southampton Mayor Closes PD Firing Range During School Hours

TUCKAHOE: Following the December 14 Sandy Hook school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, the Tuckahoe Woods firing range will no longer be permitted to operate during school hours.

Following a complaint from the Tuckahoe School Board that students could hear the gunshots as Southampton Village Police practiced at the range, Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley has closed the range while students are at school.

The range, which is about a half mile from Tuckahoe School, is not within Southampton Village borders, but it is Village property and has been used for decades as a practice firing range for the Southampton Village Police Department.

Epley has had complaints from neighbors before, and while he has chosen to respect the school’s wishes and is sensitive to the children, he does not plan to close the range. It will operate as always when school is not in session.