BB or AirSoft Guns are popular holiday gifts for kids, but the CDC warns 30,000 people are injured each year by what some consider toys, and two police departments in Virginia are teaming up to prevent another problem – the risk that BB guns will be mistaken for deadly firearms.
If you’ve seen the holiday classic Christmas Story, you remember a central part of the tale – Ralphie finally getting the gift he really wants for Christmas.
“Okay, Black Bart. Now you get yours. (gun fires) Oh my God. I shot my eye out.”
Fortunately, Ralphie damages his glasses and not his eye, but in real life BB guns pose a very real threat of injury – and mistaken identity.
“I doubt you could find many police officers with more than 2-3 years of experience that haven’t encountered one of these on the streets.”
That’s Andrew Gluba, a crime prevention specialist with Albemarle County. He says it’s often impossible for police officers to tell if they’re facing a real gun or an AirSoft. That’s why he and Officer Bill Scalfani of the Charlottesville Police Department are offering a 30-minute program for community groups, schools and churches, where participants play an unusual video game.
“So the first thing that comes up is a video of an individual with a gun, and you have to decide is that a real gun or a fake gun. Just take a guess.”
Federal law requires BB guns to have bright orange tips – unless they’re labeled This Is Not a Toy – in which case many BB guns look just like deadly weapons. And to complicate matters, they say some criminals have been painting their guns to make police think they’re carrying a toy.
“You are incorrect. And how the heck could you tell? That’s our point. Thank you for playing the game.”
The two say parents who buy their kids a BB gun must take responsibility for laying out safety rules. They might, for example, say children can only use these guns when a parent is present. It’s not enough to restrict their use to the yard.
“that has pitfalls, because people have neighbors, and most homes are along public streets. Somebody driving by seeing somebody running around pointing a gun – they’re going to call. We’re going to show up, and how do we know?”
And police are not the only ones who could be confused – especially when dealing with teenagers.
“The kids that go out and wave it out of the car, driving by, thinking they’re funny. What happens when that concealed carry guy thinks, ‘You’re threatening my wife and kids. I’m going to take you out,’ and now we have a shootout on the highway, which has happened in the past out West.”
At the very least, children and teens must be prepared to put the gun down quickly.
“Put the gun down immediately. Don’t try to turn and explain. First thing they do – put it down. Then we can have a conversation. You’ve removed what could be perceived as a threat.”
The two plan to take their program anywhere they’re invited. They’ve already had one invitation from Arizona:
“You know the price of our travel is cheap in comparison to the life of a child.”
