(1) Except as provided under Subsection (2) or (3), an individual who discharges a firearm is guilty of a third degree felony punishable by imprisonment for a term of not less than three years nor more than five years if:

Attorney's Note

Under the Utah Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
first degree felony5 years to lifeup to $10,000
For details, see Utah Code § 76-3-203

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Terms Used In Utah Code 76-10-508.1

  • Actor: means a person whose criminal responsibility is in issue in a criminal action. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
  • Bodily injury: means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Dangerous weapon: means :
              (6)(a)(i) a firearm; or
              (6)(a)(ii) an object that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury. See Utah Code 76-10-501
  • Firearm: means a pistol, revolver, shotgun, short barreled shotgun, rifle or short barreled rifle, or a device that could be used as a dangerous weapon from which is expelled a projectile by action of an explosive. See Utah Code 76-10-501
  • Serious bodily injury: means bodily injury that creates or causes serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or creates a substantial risk of death. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
     (1)(a) the actor discharges a firearm in the direction of one or more individuals, knowing or having reason to believe that any individual may be endangered by the discharge of the firearm;
     (1)(b) the actor, with intent to intimidate or harass another or with intent to damage a habitable structure as defined in Section 76-6-101, discharges a firearm in the direction of any individual or habitable structure; or
     (1)(c) the actor, with intent to intimidate or harass another, discharges a firearm in the direction of any vehicle.
(2) A violation of Subsection (1) that causes bodily injury to any individual is a second degree felony punishable by imprisonment for a term of not less than three years nor more than 15 years.
(3) A violation of Subsection (1) that causes serious bodily injury to any individual is a first degree felony.
(4) In addition to any other penalties for a violation of this section, the court shall:

     (4)(a) notify the Driver License Division of the conviction for purposes of any revocation, denial, suspension, or disqualification of a driver license under Subsection 53-3-220(1)(a)(xi); and
     (4)(b) specify in court at the time of sentencing the length of the revocation under Subsection 53-3-225(1)(c).
(5) This section does not apply to an individual:

     (5)(a) who discharges a firearm when that individual is in lawful defense of self or others;
     (5)(b) who is performing official duties as provided in Section 23A-5-202 or Subsections 76-10-523(1)(a) through (f) or as otherwise authorized by law; or
     (5)(c) who discharges a dangerous weapon or firearm from an automobile or other vehicle, if:

          (5)(c)(i) the discharge occurs at a firing range or training ground;
          (5)(c)(ii) at no time after the discharge does the projectile that is discharged cross over or stop at a location other than within the boundaries of the firing range or training ground described in Subsection (5)(c)(i);
          (5)(c)(iii) the discharge is made as practice or training for a lawful purpose;
          (5)(c)(iv) the discharge and the location, time, and manner of the discharge are approved by the owner or operator of the firing range or training ground before the discharge; and
          (5)(c)(v) the discharge is not made in violation of Subsection (1).