I thought there was some sort of legislation put in place years ago, about realistic looking toy guns , were to have orange paint on them. The ruling was brought about, so the police would not shoot someone playing dumb with a toy gun. This kid at school that took the classmate hostage, could have saved being shot maybe, if the toy gun had not looked real ??

 

I don't know all of the particulars in this incident, but, there are some airsoft guns that look quite real.

There was something enacted about having different color or colors to show that a toy gun is just that. . . . a toy.
However, a little paint and (from a distance) these toys will begin to look absolutely REAL.

Then again, there are those 'Wyatt Earp types' that will (when given the opportunity) shoot because of movement and excitement, instead of logic and training.
Please don't misunderstand. . . I am NOT insinuating anything about LEOs!!!
(Just expressing one idea.)

Case in point. . . a young man was shot several years ago when a LEO walked into a store that had been reported as a robbery in progress. This LEO saw this young man with his hands in his pocket. When he removed his hand, he had something in his hand. The LEO told that person to 'freeze' but, the young person didn't think that the LEO was talking to him, and turned. When he turned, the LEO shot the youngster and killed him.
The youngster had a cigarette lighter in his hand that he had just opened.
(The report of a robbery was false, BTW.)

 

This incident in Florida yesterday with the teen holding the classmate hostage with the toy gun prompted me on this thread. The LEO that shot the young perp had no way of knowing it was a toy gun, and made the correct call from what we are getting from the reports. It had to be absolutely horrible to lay the crosshairs/sights on a 8 th grader anyway, but to now find out the perp was holding a toy pistol on the hostage, must make it real hard for the LEO. A unrealistic looking toy gun would have made a difference in at least two lives here. jmo tho

 

I hadn't heard it was a toy gun. I feel for the sniper and other officers involved. I was involed in an incident in Turkey once, and you never fully recover. If I remember correctly it wasn't legislation that propted the realistic gun change.. but the toy makers... after a kid was shot on a dark street in (I think) Washington DC a few years ago. I remeber the incident and the mothers banding together to have realistic guns changed.

 

I live in Central Florida and my sister works for the Sheriff's office in question. The student had painted the end of the barrel or slide black to make the gun LOOK real. The deputy that did the shooting had no way of knowing and acted in the correct manner! He had no way of knowing the gun was a pellet gun, the student was pointing the gun at his own head and then became agitated and pointed it towards the police. Done deal. I would have done the same thing in this case. It is sad though. I feel for the student, who must have had some serious problems, but the deputy acted properly and probably has a few problems of his own right now.

 

The little snot got what he deserved. No doubt some one will make a big fuss over this also. On what planet do you expect to be able to point a gun that looks real at a police officer and not get shot?

 

Thanks for the update. I knew it was a good call, no question there. It just proves that one way or another , people will get around safeguards...

I do not understand what is going though these kids minds when they take guns, real or not to school. They would have to have been raised on planet pluto, to not know what will happen when they do that. It wreaks of suicidal intentions to me. jmo

 

We used to have all kinds of toy guns growing up, and they aren't very hard to make look real. that orange cap comes off real easy most of the time unless it's painted on. and that's exactly the first thing we did when they came out of the package. what happened to the good ol' days of running around playing war. man we even tried to hold up a pizza man once. nobody ever thought it was anythign but fun and games. shoot the pizza man even thought it was funny.

 

Pellet guns are not toys. That is the first mistake people make. Mine will kill you just as well a .22 will from close range.

 

My kids have several toy guns. I make sure they treat them as real weapons because I believe this will help them think and act safely when they're old enough to learn how to handle firearms.

If the toy gun was bright orange could it have saved him? Possibly, but he could have also easily painted it black so others would think it was real. I believe the real issue is that he thought of 'taking a hostage' in the first place. The kid with the toy gun was unaware of the possible consequences of his actions and suffered them. Sounds like another case of poor parental guidance.

 

I heard that the Florida kid was a loner and had talked about suicide.

What comes to mind is suicide by cop.

I'm hearing more and more stories of teenagers and suicide'; more than when I was a teenager.

Somethings wrong.

 

Is something wrong or is it that we hear about it much more often because of the communication explosion.

I think it is the later not to say that suicide is not a problem.

 

Maybe, but consider that these modern times maybe more stressful than they were when I was young.

Todays kids are growing up way faster than in my era.

And maybe that's partially due to the communication explosion.

It's a much smaller world now than it was when I was young.

JMHO

 

all toy guns have to have the tip colored, or painted orange.

HOWEVER.. My personal thought is toy gun or not, you play with fire, expect to get nurned, there are some things you just dont do..... for example, Say "bomb" the next time youre at an airport.... not too long ago, a person with a mental dissability did just that, He was gunned down

 

That Florida kid just died.

I feel sorry for his family/members.