Assault and Batteries?

[Ringtail Z28]

It's happened quite a few times actually. That's why toy guns aren't black anymore, at least in California.

[myswtghst]

I did drama in high school, and they didn't even like us using prop guns that looked like the real thing. It's also been a pain in the butt for the indie film company I work for to find realistic prop guns for films, as very few toy guns look real anymore.

[repsac]

In this state, you must be 18 to purchase the guns, and technically you can't shoot one unless you're at least that old. The police are rather lax on that though, since most kids are smart enough not to shoot anything that moves. (Emphasis on most.)

Thing is, there's another thing this kid and his mother didn't consider (Fyi, the kid was I'm guessing 14 or 15) that is rather sobering when you think about it.

My state has a series of laws that are commonly called under one name. The so called "Gunslinger Law."

Basically it works out that anyone who carries a firearm (even citizens) who witnesses a crime in action or is the victim of one; can use any and all force, up to deadly force, if they feel such is warranted. This even means that if someone pulls a knife on them or another person, they can shoot to kill.

Edit: And don't worry, The avatar will be changing soonish. I just need to find a good Zaphod.

[Bliss]

find a drawing of the original zaphod, with two heads. please for the memory and love of D. (I still mourn him)

[Acolyte]

Oh, man, this reminds me of a good story.

There was this kid who'd been going around the local neighborhood shooting up cars, houses and people with his paintball gun, which gets us actual paintballers REALLY, REALLY angry, because, every time that happens, a bunch of know-nothing 'concerned parents' start writing editorials and such trying to get the sport banned (Neverminding the fact that these guys aren't paintballers, just jackoffs with Wal-Mart special markers) and such, claiming how it's so dangerous and violent (Also forgetting the fact that paintball is statistically safer then bowling).

Anyways, said kid was caught, convicted, fined and let loose. Shortly thereafter, he was seen doing it again. And then he got the idea to load his gun with rocks and shoot up somebody's car.

Well, it turns out that somebody, by a means of horrible chance, was the owner of the local paintball field.

And, then, this jackoff shows up at the field one day! Immediately, everybody's calling to have him banned, telling him to get lost and such, but the owner, for some reason, says 'no, he can play.'

However, as we were all going up to sign waivers and buy paintballs, he whispered to us 'Get that kid.' So, we went on the field and played.

He came off the field covered in paint and welts. I mean, it looked like he got date-raped by an octopus with a bingo-dabber. He was crying, he was in so much pain. My rough count was about 1000 balls being fired at him, although I'd say maybe 1/4 of them hit. Still, muchly painful. The owner told him that this was what he had to look forward to if he ever came back here or vandalized with his marker ever again.

[blas]

Oddly enough, Tuesday night on the 9:00 news, they had a story about fake guns becoming extremely popular, and they look so much like the real thing that police have already shot at people with fake guns because the suspects have drawn the fake weapons at the police, who in turn, returned fire.

[tollbaby]

who the hell pulls a gun, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S FAKE, on a COP????? I've just lost all faith in humanity. It's official.

[MadMike]

who the hell pulls a gun, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S FAKE, on a COP?????

Someone who wants to die, but doesn't have the balls to do it himself. It's called "Suicide by cop."

[blas]

People who rob stores and banks and whatnot with fake guns, for the "effect", kids that go around pointing fake guns at people.......and since they are so convincing, the police have no idea and assume they are real and must treat the situation accordingly.

[MMATM]

Indeed, MadMike. And sometimes the cops and/or the state gets in trouble when someone dies after pulling a fake gun on a cop. As if the cop should have been able to tell the gun was a fake... when it's designed to look real... from a distance... when the PURPOSE OF THE GUN IS TO LOOK REAL.

As for the gunslinger laws, I'd rather have those than the laws in some states, which mandate that if someone pulls a gun on you and you pull yours in response, even if they are about to shoot you from point blank range, it is not considered self defense to shoot at the person UNLESS THEY SHOOT AT YOU FIRST. Now tell me how many people would sit and wait for some gangbanger wannabe to get the first clean shot off before returning fire? If someone points a gun at you, you don't wait to be shot! YOU SHOOT! PERIOD.
Some laws need to be looked at really hard by people who aren't afflicted with Stupid Sonuva Syndrome.

Also, anytime anyone uses a paintball marker to commit a crime my blood pressure goes up. For those of us on organized teams or those who just like to putz around a little, it should be a sport that isn't stigmatized due to a bunch of hotshot "I-can-get-a-paintball-gun-without-a-background-check-from-[discount store]" jerks. And yes, paintball is statistically one of the safest sports out there.

[Doodad]

nowadays cops err on the side of caution when it comes to toy guns that LOOK LIKE the real thing. Back when I was a kid, toy guns looked like toys. BUT my goodness how times have changed! Toy guns that look more real than the real thing & cops can't afford to stand there & think about if the gun that's being pointed at them or being pointed at somebody or something that may or may not be real. The gist is.."shoot first & ask questions later".
So if from a distance you saw somebody carry a gun, how could you tell if it was real or not? & even pellet guns, if fired from a certain distance can inflict serious injury.
So the cop in this instance did the right thing.

That is why all pellet and other "non-lethal" guns have orange on the barrel or sights somewhere.

When I was a kid (long ago) the best guns were dead on realistic. That was the point. Of course, we did not and would not ever shoot anyone or thing with them other than cans etc. The problem is parents and lack thereof.

Case in point. I am sitting in my living room one night and hear plink plink off my house. I exit the rear and walk around to find two kids in the neighbor's driveway shooting the streetlight and ricocheting on my house! I yell and ask them wth. They run inside and out comes dad who is visiting the neighbor. Guy is a complete asshat.

They are just shooting the light he says.

So I say, "and that is an appropriate target to you? Destroying public property is acceptable behavior to you? Maybe you should teach them how to shoot. BTW, there is a city ordinance regarding juveniles shooting air guns probably because of people like you."

He gets in my face (big mistake) and says something about making a federal case about it. I asked him if he saw any cops, but since he could not be reasoned with I guess they should be called. I walked away and he FLEW out of the neighborhood.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

"I mean, it looked like he got date-raped by an octopus with a bingo-dabber."



This is the most awesome visual I think I have ever read.

[HalloranElder]

Edit: And don't worry, The avatar will be changing soonish. I just need to find a good Zaphod.

How about http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/770000...blebrox150.jpg ?

[Rahmota]

umm you're talking about the airsoft pistolas and rifles right? You do know the military uses them for training purposes as a non-lethal way of acclimating personel to combat. It would take a miracle shot to kill someone with one of those things as I've been shot on bare skin from under 10 feet away and not even have a welt form. Unless you are using steel bb/pellets or green-gas airsoft guns they are a lot closer to toys than not. Though I will give police the benefit of the doubt that in their line of work they can't take the time to double check. But then again anyone like the little brat in the OP story shouldnt be waving one around in the parking lot of a store anyhow.

Oh and how do I know how they feel from being shot by one?. My friend and my 2 oldest kids all go out into the woods and play wargames with them as its cheaper than the paintball guns we used to play with. All you need is the barest of equipment (goggles,long sleeve shirt and long pants) and you're ready for fun.

MMATM: Ditto on most of what you said. Someone pulls a firearm on me they better hope I dont have mine on me because I will fire and not to wound because that is what I am going to believe they are going to do.

The biggest problem with airosft/pellet guns/life in general is the lack of parental involvement, training, and common sense in their usage. I mean I've made certain the kids understand the difference between the letahal areal firearms and the toy non-leathal replicas like airosft, and cap guns. Appropriate targets and usage. That outside the games no targetting people etc.... An involved parent begets responsible children.

[draggar]

Big mistake that. Someone had witnessed the incident and took off after Precious, nearly tackling the boy to the ground. Precious soon finds that he's got some nice heavy bracelets on his hands. In short, a cop had witnessed the incident.

You know that mother had the gall to say "Ah, it's just a toy." to the officer? I suspect, Precious is going to have a bad week, since the officer didn't look amused and I overheard that the lady was pressing charges.

Let's see, assault and battery with a deadly weapon (we could also add in with the intent to cause harm and attempted murder), several counts of vandalism and destruction of property, brandishing and firing a firarm on public property, plus against the mother, child endangerment, contributing to the deliquency of a minor, plus she can be held accountable for all the charges against her son.

If you ever see that police officer again, tell him he did a DAMN good job.