(IGC) A New Jersey man was arrested at his home last Thursday night
after he fired eight bullets at his home computer, according to police.

The man, Michael A. Case, 35, was arrested shortly after 11 p.m., at his
house, when police said they received a report that shots were fired.
They arrived at the home to find a .44 Magnum automatic handgun and a
shot-up IBM personal computer with a Princeton Graphics System monitor.

The monitor screen was blown out by the blasts and its inner workings
were visible, Lt. Donald Van Tassel said after the event.  The computer,
which had bullet holes in its hardware, was hit four times while four
more bullet holes were found in various areas next to the computer, Van
Tassel said.

"The only thing he (Case) said was that he was mad at his computer, so
he shot it," Van Tassel said.  Case had apparently been trying to
operate a new software package and had encountered problem after
problem.

The handgun, which the lieutenant identified as an Israeli Arms Desert
Eagle .44, has "a lot of firepower," he said.  "It's a big gun."

To make sure the job was "done right," Case also used hollow-point, or
dum-dum, bullets, the police added.  (I think "dum-dum" is appropriate
here. Hollowpoints are designed to expand in tissue. They don't have any
advantage over a solid bullet in any other use.  -jj) Case was surprised
when police arrested him because he didn't think he was breaking the
law, Van Tassel said.

"He couldn't understand why he couldn't shoot his own computer in his
own home," Van Tassel said.  (I don't understand it, either. -jj) Case
was charged with recklessly creating a risk and using a firearm against
the property of another, because the house is reportedly owned by a
relative.

The walls were also damaged by the shots, according to police.  He was
also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm without a permit, and
with possession of illegal bullets, police said.

In addition, Case was issued two summonses, for discharging a weapon in
a restricted area and for discharging a single-projectile weapon, police
said.  Case was released later on $2,500 bail, according to police.
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