Assault and Batteries?

[draggar]

I highly doubt any sane cop is going to shoot a child.

We've had instances here where children were tazered by our police, and I think the police did the right thing.

I'm sure if given, the child or the officer, the officer would shoot.

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.

Florida just started enforcing that a year or two ago. Before, technically, you couldn't fight back.

I just thought I'd love to see the judge talking to the mother.. "So, you're pressing charges against the police because your son was fired while he was firing a gun at an elderly lady?"

[AFpheonix]

Repsac mentioned that the gun in the OP was clear plastic. Doesn't look like a gun, so it would be highly unlikely that the cops would be shooting to kill or wound a child wielding an obvious toy.

That being said, I'm glad they scared the living crap out of that kid by arresting him. He deserved it.

[Gawdzillers]

I've been in Airsoft wars.
No lasting marks, but those things are harmful and scary as hell.
Really, when I got hit by one, I was more frightened than anything.

[repsac]

To be honest, I'm not so sure the fact that the gun was clear mattered that much to the lady. I've not heard much about this with the festival (which now with the blue angels crash is looking like it won't happen) coming up.

Did a bit of research and bugged an officer about this though.

He claims that the way the laws are written, it doesn't matter what the gun looks like. If someone threatens you and you fear any form of physical harm, then it's considerd assault under the law.

[Seshat]

Repsac mentioned that the gun in the OP was clear plastic. Doesn't look like a gun, so it would be highly unlikely that the cops would be shooting to kill or wound a child wielding an obvious toy.

Perhaps - but the child was aiming a pellet gun at an elderly woman in a wheelchair.

What neither the child nor the cop (nor us!) knows is why the woman was in the wheelchair. Maybe she had osteoporosis. Many elderly women do. Maybe the force of the pellet would have been enough to break bones made fragile by osteoporosis.

Maybe she had something else. Certainly, unless she was a wheelchair athlete, she wouldn't have been able to dodge. (Though some wheelchair athletes are incredibly good!)

It's unlikely the pellet gun could have killed her, but it's quite likely she's in the group of people who would have suffered a great deal more than the average person, had he hit her.

The cop did good, IMO.

[JustADude]

Remember, the OP said nothing about the cop shooting, just slapping a pair of shiny handcuffs on him. Perfectly reasonable when a teenager is acting like a hellion in public. I know if I'd have been there I'd have yanked the gun out of his hand and emptied the clip into him at point-blank range while asking how HE liked it... so best I wasn't there, 'cause I really don't need a criminal record.

[Lehk]

i am assuming it was an airsoft gun.


you don't shoot those at unsuspecting people, or anyone not wearing eye protection.

i still have a half-dollar sized bruise where i shot my leg to test out my new airsoft shotgun last weekend and welts all over from where i got shot during the games.

[AFpheonix]

Perhaps - but the child was aiming a pellet gun at an elderly woman in a wheelchair.

It's unlikely the pellet gun could have killed her, but it's quite likely she's in the group of people who would have suffered a great deal more than the average person, had he hit her.

The cop did good, IMO.

And I don't disagree you in the least. In fact, you've pretty much echoed the part of my post that you didn't quote.
I was simply referring to the many other posts made on previous pages about the fear of the cops shooting at the child with the gun, and how unlikely that would be since it was obviously not a real weapon.

[Best Made Tacos]

At the least, it could have been frightening for the woman and some older people have health conditions that make stress a life or death issue for them. That said, I believe the parent (s) deserve most of the ass kicking for this, but the kid certainly deserves a good fright.
Reminds me of that King of the Hill episode with Caleb - "He's just so SMART!"
For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's season 10, episode 14. Hilarious

[Jules Of All Trades]

A boy who lives a few houses down from me has a couple of Airsoft guns, and one day had a friend over to play. They're both 13. Apparently (as I didn't see it myself), they were in the front yard goofing around with the guns, shooting at trees and whatnot. The friend who came over thought it might be fun to use my 4 year old (who was minding his own business playing in my front yard with his brothers) as target practice. I hear him screaming from inside and hubby and I go running to see what happened.

Luckily he was far enough away that the pellets didn't leave welts, but he had some nice red marks on his leg, he was hit twice. We brought him inside, calmed him (and me) down, and then very politely called the local police department and informed them of what happened. While we were waiting for them to arrive I walked down and talked to my neighbor. It wasn't her son who shot my baby, so I didn't go off on her, but I let her know that the police were coming and why, and suggested she call the "friend's" parents to inform them of the situation. Then I walked back to my house to clear my head before his parents got here.

The cops showed up just before the kid's parents did, and quite the crowd gathered to see what was going on (nosy neighborhood). My whole family walked down to the house and we talked with the police and the parents a bit. The police then talked to the parents, who were really pissed off at their son, because they have a strict "no gun" policy and he knew that he's not supposed to ever play with them. We then watched while the police officers cuffed the kid, put him in the back of the car, and gave him what I'm sure was the scariest lecture of his life. They eventually let him out and uncuffed him, then released him to his parents, who tag-teamed him with an even worse talking-to.

We declined to press charges, the parents of this kid were more than apologetic and sincere in their handling of the situation. The sobbing boy was forced to apologize to my son (who was handling things rather well for his age), and they made him buy my son a popsicle with his own money from the ice cream truck that was just coming through the neighborhood as things were settling down.

I think the kid definitely learned a lesson, and I heard that the boy who lives in that house isn't allowed to play with the guns when he has someone over anymore.

Unfortunately my little guy is now terrified of any type of gun, even water toys. We don't have Airsoft guns in my house, but we did have a couple of Nerf Dart Tag guns, but those have been put well out of sight, as he's too scared of them, even though he was the one that wanted them to begin with.

Scary situation overall, I'm just glad he wasn't seriously hurt, or I might not have been so calm about the whole thing.

[Andara Bledin]

The actor Jon Erik-Hexum was killed by a pistol that fired blanks. That's right, he was killed when what amounts to a wad of paper shattered his skull at the temple (this was, what, about 20 years ago, I think).

Yup, he managed to Darwin himself with a stage pistol. If anyone ever suggests playing Russian Roulette with a gun that's loaded with a blank, just drag out Hexum's story. (he was the star of Voyagers, which was a pretty decent show)

I highly doubt any sane cop is going to shoot a child.

It happens all the time, unfortunately. Especially in areas that have a lot of gang activity. Thankfully, more and more police are using tasers first, so there are fewer deaths and serious injuries.

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.

Darwin award nominees, is who. And there are plenty of them out there. Just watch Video Justice or Cops and you'll see hundreds of people who do stupid things to officers each week.

My ex used to play laser tag at night on the weekends at his old high school. One time, some concerned local called the cops on the people with guns and dark clothes running around the school grounds. Thankfully, the group was very proactive about what to do if you should encounter the police while playing so nobody got hurt.

^-.-^

[Sliceanddice]

oK this is going to bring up so issues with my sanity but there is a wonderful wonderful website that has Cap guns (AKA NOT AIR GUNS, PELLET, OR BB) that look real. I MEAN REAL. Some are even made out of metel. They are made so to be deterents.... but man are they awesome... if i find the link ill post it.

[K245five]

Everybody remember when laser pointers were popular with teenagers?

Well, this was at the center of an incident that happened one day at the local Sears. Two teens were walking around with the laser pointer pointing it at various objects. Eventually, they started pointing it at PEOPLE!

Big mistake! They pointed it at an older gentleman, late 50's or so. He was targeted right at the center of his forehead. This guy actually pulls out a REAL 9mm semi automatic handgun! He points it right at the two teenagers, who more or less proceed to piss themselves!

The employees just freak and call the cops. The older guy still has the gun on the two teenagers and is just looking for an excuse to pull the trigger. The State Police arrive, and "persuade" the guy to drop his gun. He is then handcuffed and taken away. Nothing happened to the teens, and the guy got probation and community service time, as well as a hefty fine in the end.

[Rahmota]

What an old guy gets arressted when he is targeted by punk teens? How was he to be sure it wasnt the setup for a mugging? I mena shine the laser in his eyes and he's blinded enough then the teens whack him. Sounds like the guy should have gotten off scott free as he followed all proper procedures and the teens should have been arressted for assault and causing a public disturbance among other things. How was he to know they where just beign idiots and not building up to an attack on him. Simple self defense.

[AFpheonix]

...pulling a handgun out in a crowded store sounds a little overboard to me, so no, I'm really not sorry that the older guy got taken away.


However, those kids needed a good talking to by the cops to for instigating crap, although I'm sure they'll think twice before doing that next time.